Book 5: The Face Stealer
by Kuaishu
Summary: After being pulled back into the Spirit World following his battle with Tonrar, Aang now finds himself caught in the collision between two Worlds, haunted nightly by nightmares of a horrific scale. Aang must find the spirit who warned him of this terrible fate. But can he repair the shattered remains of his honor, and rebuild the broken trust between he and his friends? And Katara?
1. Chapter 1

_For the most part, the world was good at healing itself. It was firm, yet adaptable, bending and cracking with each new pressure, and in time each new scar upon it's surface grew into a landscape of beauty, if only you know where to look. On the tallest volcano the panda lilly grows, and in the deepest oceon a sea serpent welcomes it's new offspring into the world. The world, the earth beneath their feet, and the sky above their heads, was beautiful._

_For the longest time the Avatar had been of the belief that the people that inherited this beautiful world were every bit as adaptable, and as forgiving. He knew there were evils in the world, souls that tainted what they touched, but for the most part he was fueled by hope that in each of these evils there was a good that, in time, could learn to break free. With each blow that he took, he would stand taller, his grin never fading, his love for his friends and his hope for the world driving him forwards, striving to achieve his dreams. But, it would seem that not even this Avatar, this bright young soul, couldn't forever fight back the darkness they lay in each human heart._

_The air bender fell to the broken, dusty ground below him, the glow in his eyes fading as his hand reached out ahead of him._

_"I'm afraid you failed," came the voice._

_"No ..." the Avatar, still not old enough to face the horrors that stood before him. "Please ... I can stop this ... I can save them."_

_Around the figures a cloud of deep red dust swirled, disintegrating the trees that it touched with naught but a small hiss. The sky swirled and thundered like a thrashing river, each wave of lightning destroying more of the once familiar landscape._

_"It's too late," the voice came again, almost with pity. "The time when the Avatar could act has passed, and the result is this."_

_"Please," the young man sobbed, his face full of pain. "This can't ..." His fists clenched, and his head rose to face the monstrosity before him. "This can't be happening."_

_"But it is." The voice, almost seductive in it's vileness, rose. Rows of legs clicked along the ground, and the creature raised it's swollen front from the ground. The red eyes narrowed, and those long thin lips widened into a smile, revealing hundreds of sharp teeth. "And of course now you realise what I must take from you."_

_The man's emotions were open for the world to see, if the world had been around to witness it. The tears streamed down his face, leaving trails down his blood soaked skin, and though, for a moment, it seemed as though we would challange the creature before him, the light in his eyes died. His head lowered, his body still._

_"Take it," he said, his voice scarcely a whisper. "I wish not to see this any more ..."_

_"I had hoped that you, of all the Avatars I have known, would be stronger," the insectile beast shook that cruel face. "But those flames that burn twice as bright must burn half as long." It proceeded to twist it's body around the young Avatar before him, until they were eye to eye. "At last, I will have the Avatar's face."_


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: Please note that this is the sequel to Book 4: The Avatar. It can be read without reading Book 4, as main events from Book 4 are explained throughout Book 5, though smaller details will seem rather vague.**

He had spent a month preparing for this moment, this speech. He had faced down Koh, he had incapacitated Firelord Ozai, and he had defeated Tonrar, but now as he stood looking at the ring of people before him he felt his nerves were no doubt going to get the better of him.

The hall he was in was simple, yet beautiful. From all sides you could see the entire of Ba Sing Se spread out before you, glistening in the sun, as stubborn as those that bent the elements within it, and even those who had witnessed the sight many times before couldn't help but stare in wonder in all that surrounded them. In the center of the hall was an ambitiously large map of the world, the colours of the Earth Kingdom so much bolder than those of the Nations that surrounded it, perhaps mirroring the central hub of activity and progression that the City boasted to be. Around this table sat several people, easily identified by the clothing that they wore. Water Tribe, Fire Nation, Earth Kingdom and the Air Acolytes. To his right sat a tall and nobal looking man, dressed in red and his head held high, and over by the door, with arms crossed, stood a short yet rather intimidating young woman.

All sixteen of the people before him sat in silence, their gazes upon him. It had not gone unnoticed by him that many of those faces were adorned with furrowed brows and glares of contempt, yet still he remained seated. His mouth was dry, made all the worse by the beautiful Water Tribe woman that sat almost directly ahead of him. He took a quick sip of water, allowing the cool liquid to ease his tongue, but almost immediately he felt parched again. He took a deep breath, _no sense in delaying the inevitable_, and stood.

At least, the Avatar mused, he looked the part. He stood tall now, and though his shoulders were broad his body was graceful, slender, each limb shaped as if tenderly sculpted. His physique was that of the perfect air bender, displaying the strength yet grace that their element demanded of them. His face was thin, and his silver eyes always danced with wisdom and charm, and even in his darker moments the corners of his mouth never looked far from a smile. He wore his lighter coloured ceremonial robes, hanging elegantly from his shoulders. And though he could no longer use them to contact his past lives the meditation beads hung around his neck.

He paused for a second more, adjusting to the unabashed gazes and glares from his audience then, after a quick glance at the Firelord sat beside him, began.

"Firstly, I want to thank you all for answering the call. I know it wasn't easy for many of you to come here on such short notice, especially those with previous engagements." He glanced over at the Southern Water Tribe Chief, who sat between his son and daughter. "I'd also like to thank Earth King Kuei for letting us use these halls.

"For the most part I think we all know each other, but for the benefit of those that don't, Firelord Zuko and myself would like to welcome the following to the table-" he cleared his throat. "From the Earth Kingdom: Earth King Kuei, King Bumi of Omashu and General How." In turn each of the men bowed their heads. "From the Fire Nation: General Mamoru and Peacemaker Iroh." Iroh blushed and chuckled slightly at his given title. "From the Northern Water Tribe: Chief Arnook, General Hanh and Master Innua. From the Southern Water Tribe: Chief Hakoda, General Sokka and-" he felt his voice want to waver, though powered through. "Master Katara." Sokka raised a hand, investigating his nails with a smug grin at _his_ new title. "And finally Air Acolytes, Xing Ying and Yee-Li."

Everyone at the table looked round with interest at the two teenage girls dressed in the red orange and yellow of the Air Nomads. Truthfully, they just looked honored to be there.

"I'd also like to welcome Toph Beifong, who is here as the impartial and confidential guard for this meeting," he gestured towards Toph, who grinned almost deviously at them. He had asked her to tone it down for this particular meeting, but the glint in her eye made it clear that she was planning to make this as enjoyable as possible for herself.

"You all know briefly why the Firelord and I invited you here today, and the purpose of this meeting. I also realise that you are expecting an explanation for my absence over the past number of months." General's How and Mamoru leaned forward in their seats, their eyes narrowing. "I expect for these meetings to continue over the coming weeks before anything is settled, so again I appreciate your patience."

Already, he was feeling fatigued. There was more than just expectation in the eyes of those that looked upon him. The suspicion and doubt lavished upon him was almost more than he could handle.

"I suppose first on the agenda is to tell you exactly what it was the led me away from my duties in each of the Nations," he continued. He and Zuko had spent many a long night going over exactly what Aang was to say, and what he was to avoid saying, and though part of Aang wanted to speak the entire truth of it he knew that there were elements of the events that occurred between himself and Tonrar that no one needed to know about. Especially if he wanted to heal the fractured relationship between himself and the people.

"Last year, the Coalition Towns and the Fire Nation came under attack by a group of rebels. Our aim, at the time, was to find out who these rebels were, what their goal was, and how best we would be able to calm them. As Yu Dao was center of the new coalition we had worked to form it suffered most of all. It saddens me to say that the coalition fell, but the city itself has begun to rebuild and heal it's wounds." If he had hoped that this news would brighten the moods of those around him they didn't show it. "After the initial attack on Yu Dao and the growing number of vandalism cases in the Fire Nation Capital I predicted that the next attack was going to take place there, which it did. Unfortunately the rebels took advantage of my absence and made a simultaneous attack in Yu Dao."

"But what exactly happened in the Fire Nation Capital, Avatar Aang? And the Firebending Academy?" General Mamoru asked, frowning. She was a no-nonsense woman, one that he had long respected, and it hurt that he had lost her trust. He hadn't expected someone to interrupt him at this point, and truth be told he hadn't even thought to consider any interruptions at all. He faltered slightly.

"I confronted the rebels as they attempted to take down the Firebending Academy," Aang replied, though everyone noticed the slight wince as he spoke. "And it was there that I learnt the truth behind these particular rebels." He took a deep breath. "They weren't human, or certainly they weren't any more. They were spirits under the control of another spirit, by the name of Tonrar."

General How let out a roar of laughter, making everyone jump. "I thought we had come here to hear the truth, Avatar Aang," he chuckled. "Not more of this fictitious nonsense."

"I can promise you Tonrar is, or was certainly, entirely real," Iroh piped up.

"We were told stories of the demon spirit Tonrar when I was growing up," said Innua, raising a delicate eyebrow. She was one of the first female water benders to have trained in the Northern Water Tribe since the law against women water bending had lifted, and from what Aang had heard, quite gifted. She was little older than himself, and had quickly risen to Master status. "But they were just that. Stories." The corner of her mouth lifted slightly in a half smirk.

"Tonrar was involved in this," Katara piped up, glowering at her. Aang hated the way his heart skipped as soon as she spoke. "There are sixth of us here who saw him with our very eyes and battled against him."

"Five," came a snarky voice from behind. They looked back to see Toph gesturing to her eyes.

"As much as I'd like to tell you none of it happened, I'm afraid it did," Aang interjected with a sigh. If this was their reaction to news of Tonrar how would they deal with what he had to say next? "But to answer your question, I happened to the Firebending Academy."

He saw eyebrows raise, and people shift. Katara looked as though she was about to scold Aang for his stupidity of uttering such words in front of such people, but Sokka leaned forward and gave her a stern look. They had discussed this whilst she had been gone, and had all agreed it was for the better.

"Tonrar was able to control spirits, and as such he was able to control my Avatar Spirit. He forced me into the Avatar State and, at the time, I didn't know how to fight against it. He had me destroy what remained of the Academy."

An uneasy silence fell over the people before him. Katara had put her hand over her eyes as if to spare herself from the horror before her. Even King Bumi seemed surprised at this news, his large tufty eyebrows almost raised straight off of his head. In truthfulness, Aang _had_ expected someone to speak at this point, but their silence urged him to continue with his tale.

"Eventually Tonrar was disturbed and his hold on me broke-" he saw Katara take her hand from her face and throw her brother a look. "It was after that that I learned of the attack on the Mayor's home in Yu Dao and returned."

"So ... a spirit who could control your Avatar State was responsible for ... vandalism?" Mamoru asked, raising an eyebrow.

"It was a little more than that," Aang admitted. "Tonrar's plan was a take-over of our mortal world, and to discredit the Avatar was part of that plan. The attacks were created to install fear in the public, and in baiting me away he could make it seem as though I had neglected my duties."

There was an uncomfortable shift across his audience.

"It certainly did that!" King Bumi cackled, raising an eyebrow at the General beside him.

It certainly did, Aang mused. He, Toph and Sokka had arrived in Ba Sing Se two weeks previous, and upon their arrival they had been greeted by General How and some of his soldiers acting as guards. They had been quickly ushered into ostrich horse drawn carriages, the 'guards' had took step beside of them, their sharp eyes pierced for any sign of a disagreement.

"You really think something could happen?" Sokka had asked the General, laughing. But How had narrowed his eyes, and looked Aang dead in the eyes.

"We can't be too careful."

It was then that Aang realised that the guards weren't there to protect him from the people, but to protect the people from him.

"How were we to know?" General How growled, bringing Aang back to reality. "All we knew is that Avatar Aang had destroyed the Academy and possibly killed several Fire Nation guards, and then he vanished."

"I don't blame you for that, " Aang replied softly. He took a deep breath, looking once more round the group of people sat opposite him.

"It became clear that it was too dangerous for me to stay in any of the cities or Yu Dao," he continued. "If Tonrar found me again I couldn't risk what I could potentially destroy next. Or who," he added, his voice wavering slightly. "Myself, Katara, Sokka, Toph and Suki left to track down Tonrar and in time we were led to the South Pole."

Hakoda shifted, and Aang wondered how much he knew he had missed out in his tale.

"Tonrar had hoped to bait me there, given how important their home was to Katara and Sokka. The Southern Water Tribe suffered a lot of damage, and people were lost ... But I was able to take away Tonrar's ability to control spirits, and he, along with the spirits he had possessed, returned to the Spirit World."

"And that's it?" Hakoda asked, leaning back and raising an eyebrow. Sokka winced.

"The smaller details are irrelevant," Aang replied, his voice firm. "For a time we were at the Southern Air Temple, though our attempts to stop him were unsuccessful. But otherwise yes, that's it."

Hakoda's eyes narrowed, and the despair Aang felt at how quickly the Southern Water Tribe Chief had gone from trusting him completely to demanding that he stay away from his daughter.

"Yup, that's about the sum of it," Sokka said quickly, sensing the tension between his father and his friend.

Aang saw, not for the first time, the image of the spikes of ice hurtling towards towards his friends throats and stomachs flash before his eyes. He furiously blinked it away.

"So, the spirit is gone?" Arnook asked.

Aang nodded.

"Wait, you killed a spirit?" General How asked. "I thought your Air Nomad teachings prevented you from killing anything?"

Aang's eyebrows raised in surprise. "I didn't kill him."

"Then he could come back?" Arnook pressed, frowning.

"Trust me-" an insectile body, a wide grin revealing rows of sharp teeth- "there is no way that Tonrar will be returning to the Mortal World."

Arnook and How exchanged glances, clearly not quite willing to trust the Avatar just yet.

"After defeating Tonrar we returned to the Fire Nation to discover that the coalition in Yu Dao and the other towns had fallen, and that there were still acts of vandalism and rebellion taking place across much of the Earth Kingdom, particularly here in Ba Sing Se." Aang looked across at Earth King Kuei who turned his gaze to his city, his brow furrowing. "It was then that the Firelord and myself decided that we should actively work towards bringing each of the Nations together."

"Like the coalition?" How pressed. "Which you have already admitted fell."

"It did, but the difference is we won't be working within an already existing city in an already existing Nation."

He saw Toph grin widely over by the door.

"I want to create a fifth Nation. A City. A place where any and all people from each Nation can live and work alongside one another without fear of oppression and abandonment. It would become a united republic of nations, run by a council comprising of representatives elected by the citizens of each of the four Nations. And that is the reason I have asked you all here today."

"But how would that work?" Mamoru asked. "If the citizens can elect then we could have any old fool on the council!"

"Which is why I asked each of the Nation and Tribe leaders to bring two people that they felt would fairly represent their entire Nation," Aang replied. "At first we felt that the leaders would serve the purpose, but given the troubles in the Earth Kindgom at present, I think allowing the citizens to choose their representatives from a selection of candidates would help to unite the entire world in this goal." He could see doubt on a few of the faces looking at him, and he sighed.

"Right now the world is fractured. The Air Nation no longer exist, aside from myself and some of the more determined Air Acolytes," he smiled softly at the women dressed in traditional Air Nomad attire. "And though Firelord Ozai has been defeated, and the Fire Nation is at last ruled by a deserving leader, the world is still out of balance with itself. I once thought that for balance to be achieved each Nation had to remain separate, but I was wrong, as Firelord Zuko rightly showed me. In order to fix the damage that has been inflicted upon the world over, not just the Hundred Year War, but long before that we need to finally unite the Nations. No Nation will be stronger than another, and each will have the opportunity to benefit and work alongside the other."

"What makes you think we'd want to work alongside ... certain Nations?" General Hanh muttered. Mamoru raised an eyebrow and laughed.

"The alternative is that the world continues to fracture, the Nations remain at odds, and we risk another war. Maybe not now, maybe not even in our lifetime, but one day," Aang replied, keeping his voice level.

"It's a sound idea," Zuko said, speaking for the first time. "I know for some of you working alongside the Fire Nation will be difficult, particular those who have suffered greatly at the hands of my father." He spoke directly to Arnook now. "What our soldiers did to your people, your family, it can never be undone and I can't expect it to ever be forgiven. But I want to work alongside you, alongside each of the Nations, and finally bring peace to our world."

Arnook raised his head, looking back at the Firelord, then a soft smile and a nod came to his face. General Hanh scoffed.

"You're going to listen to all this nonsense? After what happened to your daughter?" He said indignantly.

Arnook took his eyes from Zuko, turning himself to look his General dead in the face. "It is because of what happened to my daughter that I choose to listen," he said softly. "We have all lost someone dear in the War. In this ... fracturing, as the Avatar put it. Maybe this way no one else ever has to suffer as I have done."

Aang saw Sokka's grim face as memories of Yue were stirred.

"I'm not asking everyone to decide right now," Aang interrupted softly. "And I am not expecting a resolution at this meeting. I'm sure that many of you would like to discuss this matter in private, amongst yourself. In fact, I heartily encourage you to."

The group glanced among themselves.

"I think for now, unless anyone has any questions, we should adjourn," the Avatar said. "You can all have a week to discuss this, speak to the necessary people back in your own Nations, and then we shall meet again to discuss each of your decisions."

"I do have one question," Bumi asked, his eyes wide and his smile crazy.

"Yes?" Aang said, narrowing his eyes suspiciously, wondering what madness his old friend would come up with on this occasion.

"Do we get statues of ourselves in this new City?"

"Thank you!" Toph cried. "Finally, a man with some sense!"

Aang laughed, whilst Mamoru pulled a face of disgust and How scoffed.

"Let's hold off on the statues for now," Aang managed, wondering at how easily Bumi had always managed to lighten the mood.

Several minutes later, Earth King Kuei had called in some of his servants, and people were lead off to their respective lodgings for the remainder of their stay in Ba Sing Se. Katara and Hakoda, it seemed, were to be staying where Aang, Sokka and Toph had been staying the past couple of weeks, and where Zuko had joined them not long after.

"There are only five rooms," Kuei had explained as they followed him down the hall. "We wasn't terribly sure whether Master Katara would be returning with Chief Hakoda. But the Avatar has said he can sleep in the study, so there should be plenty of space for you all to stay comfortably."

The six of them squeezed into a carriage drawn by four ostrich horses, as Kuei was led away to his own chariot. True to form, General How was quick to place some guards either side of them, and Aang had to suppress a sigh. _I suppose it was a lot for me to expect for them to trust me again,_ he thought to himself, as they set off.

"That went well," Zuko said, sat beside him.

"Almost too well," Aang replied, staring thoughtfully out at the City as they passed, not least of all because Katara was sat opposite him and he was determined to avoid her gaze and the somersault of butterflies threatening to unleash themselves upon his stomach.

"Don't be like that, Aang," Sokka said, stretching. "As Sparky said, it went well. I'd consider this a small victory!"

"Why didn't you tell them everything?" Chief Hakoda interrupted, his gaze impassive.

Raising an eyebrow, Aang turned to him. Part of him had been determined to prove himself to the man before him, and that part of him still had him hesitate before answering. But another part was just so tired of second guessing himself and his actions. As the Avatar he needed to be sure of his decisions, and to not give into the pressures of others around him. This was his duty, after all.

"What good would it have done?" He replied. "They know that I was under Tonrar's control, I can only imagine what they feel I was capable of. Giving them something concrete to muse over would only cause more damage."

"But if they find out that there's more to it than that? That you lied to them?" Hakoda pressed.

"I didn't lie," Aang said. "I missed out certain details."

Hakoda scowled.

"Look, between you and me I can tell you that keeping parts of this between us is hardly ideal. I don't like it one bit. But there are just some things they're better off not knowing."

"You're sounding much more like the Firelord here than Avatar Aang," Hakoda said, with a sigh. "No offense," he added, glancing at Zuko, who shrugged.

"If I remember rightly it was you who told me that Avatar Aang was too dangerous," Aang said coolly, turning his gaze back out of the carriage. "Here's me being cautious."

An awkward silence filled the carriage, and from the corner of his eye he saw the angry blush rising to Katara's face. Feeling everyone's inner embarrassments, Toph started to whistle.

Before long they had reached the series of lodging in the Upper Ring of the City where they would be staying. They passed by the house that they had stayed in many years ago the first time the gang had come to Ba Sing Se and Katara shuddered.

"No more Joo Dee's I hope?" She asked.

"How would you react if I said yes?" Sokka teased with a laugh. Katara shuddered again.

"Poor women ..."

The carriage came to a halt, and one of the guards leaned forward to open the door on Aang's side, with a short bow. Aang thanked the man, then jumped from the carriage.

"Fancy," Hakoda said, stopping dead as he climbed from the carriage, looking up at the large three story building that stood before them. The stones were of a white marble, and the roof peaked with gold tiles and slates. At the front of the house stood a delicate porch, lined with pink and lilac peony bushes.

"You wait until you see inside!" Sokka said. "Even Toph was impressed."

"That's a big fat lie and you know it," Toph said. "It ain't all that. Give me a dirt cave over this prissy nonsense any day."

Aang led them to the large sliding front doors, gently pushing them to the side. One inside, Hakoda let out a long low whistle.

"Told ya," Sokka chuckled.

The hall was every bit as impressive as the buliding outside. The floor was tiled with jade, and along the walls lay delicate green and gold tapestries depicting various scenes from Ba Sing Se's history.

"Once everyone has settled in we can go and visit Uncle at the Jasmine Dragon," Zuko suggested.

"That sounds like a good idea!" Katara said, warmly. "We haven't had a chance to really catch up, yet."

"Aang, will you be coming?" Zuko asked, though something in his tone suggested that he already knew that answer.

"Not this time," Aang replied, shrugging off his his over robe and hanging it up.

"Surely we need to talk about the meeting?" Sokka pointed out.

"There won't be anything new to say," Aang shrugged. "You guys catch up, I still have a lot to do, and I need to check on Appa and Momo. It was good to see you again, Katara, Hakoda." He bowed to the pair, avoiding their gaze and trying to stay as neutral as he possibly could. Grabbing his staff he then turned and lightly climbed the flight of stairs to his study.


	3. Chapter 3

"I probably should have mentioned," Sokka said, seeing the look on her face. "The new hard working and distant Aang is every bit as frustrating as the old Aangsty and distant Aang."

"It seems strange that he wouldn't come to see Iroh ..." she muttered, looking out of the carriage window as it carried them to the Jasmine Dragon.

"Well, you did kinda dump him," Toph said, matter of factly.

Katara flushed, her heart jumping. "That's not what happened," she snapped, aware of her father sat beside her.

"It kinda is," Toph continued, impervious to Katara's discomfort.

"You didn't tell me this," Hakoda said, interested. "What happened?"

"Oh don't feign innocence, dad," Katara said, crossing her arms and glaring at her father. "And don't pretend you didn't have something to do with it."

"I only wanted what was best for you," he said softly, putting an arm on her shoulder. Katara grunted, switching her gaze back to the window. _More like what was easiest for you_, she thought to herself bitterly.

"And I didn't dump him, ok? We agreed we needed a break."

"More like you just walked out on him," Toph continued, stubbornly, though her face betrayed little emotion.

"Well I guess we know whose side you're on," Katara laughed bitterly.

"Uh, we're nearly here," Zuko interrupted, his discomfort clear across his face.

Seething Katara watched as the court for the Jasmine Dragon drew closer. In truth she had expected this reaction from Toph. Despite how indifferent she behaved, she cared for Aang, and even though he had been the one to stop fighting for them, Katara had still broken his heart.

Iroh stood at the steps of his tea shop, grinning widely and waving at them with a tea towel hooked over his arm. And as they reached him, he pulled Katara in for a hug.

"It's lovely to see you again, Master Katara!" He said, cheerfully. "And Chief Hakoda-" he bowed. "I'm sorry we didn't get a chance to talk before the meeting today, Avatar Aang seemed keen to get things started as soon as possible." He chuckled lightly at that.

"That's ok, Iroh," Hakoda said. "It's good to see you, too."

"Well, come on in, I have some new teas for you to sample." He took a glance around the group. "No Aang again, I take it?"

Zuko and Sokka just shook their heads.

"He doesn't usually come, either?" Katara asked, though hating herself for asking.

"Aang doesn't really seem to come out of the study unless it's to check on Appa or talk about the coming meetings," Zuko admitted.

The group took their seats at the largest table in Iroh's tea shop, which was almost full even at this late hour, and Iroh sat with them.

"Chaye," Iroh called, and one of his assistants hurried up to them. "Could you fetch our guests the hibiscus and ginger tea?"

Chaye, a rather short girl with a big bushy ponytail nodded and hurried off.

"So things are still going well, then?" Katara asked, looking around at the packed tea shop.

"Very! Even my being away so unexpectedly hasn't slowed business. These Earth Kingdom folks sure are desperate for good tea!"

"That's great news, Iroh," she replied with a smile.

"I'm wondering when my nephew will be bringing my great niece along for her first visit," Iroh said. Zuko's face twitched into a half smile.

"Let's get these rebellions in check first, Uncle," he said.

"How is Meiya doing?" Katara asked excitedly. "And Mai?"

"Good!" Zuko grinned. "Mai's considerably less cranky now, it's nice to be able to sleep in my own bed for a change. Well ..." he sighed, though the grin never left his face. "What little sleep I do get, Meiya's a handful."

Sokka laughed suddenly. "She's definitely a fire bender!"

"She adores Aang," Zuko continued, chuckling. "He was tickling her and she giggled so hard that she fire bended for the first time and set fire to his robes."

Katara smiled, albeit sadly.

"Seems Meiya's fire bending comes simply from joy," Iroh said. "For too long in our Nation taught fire bending through anger and fear."

Zuko nodded proudly. "There are still some who oppose my rule," he explained to Katara and Hakoda. "But for the first time it seems that people are happy."

"I imagine Meiya has only made things better," Hakoda said with a smile. "Nothing seems to rally a Nation like a new Prince or Princess." He reached over a roughed up Sokka's hair, who groaned and waved him away.

"How is Suki, anyway?" Katara asked, whilst Sokka tried to flatten his ponytail.

"She's not finding it easy," Sokka replied, his brow furrowing with concern. "Apparently the baby's not sitting right, so she just has to rest for now."

Katara saw Toph shift in her chair, looking uncomfortable.

"But it's nothing to worry about," Sokka continued hurriedly. "The little booger will probably move back to where she's supposed to before long."

"She?" Katara asked.

"Suki's adamant it's a girl," Sokka shrugged. "And telling her that she can't possibly know that would be an exercise in futility!"

"Have you any names?" Iroh asked.

"I want to name the baby Rocky!"

"Sokka, I forbid you to name my first grand child Rocky," Hakoda laughed.

"It's a good solid name," Sokka replied, crossing his arms.

"So's Toph," Toph offered, though her smile was restrained.

"Chief Hakoda?"

The group jumped and looked round to see one of the Earth King's guards bowing gently before their table.

"Yes?" Hakoda asked, bemused.

"Chief Arnook of the Northern Water Tribe has requested an audience with you," the guard continued.

"I expected as such, but he's certainly not waiting around is he?" Hakoda chuckled. "Ok, where is he?"

"We're to take you to their lodgings," the guard offered.

Hakoda glanced at his son and daughter.

"We're good," Sokka said.

"Ok, let's get this over with," Hakoda said with a grunt as he stood.

Katara watched as her father followed the guard then, once he was out of sight, turned quickly back to her friends.

"So do we know what happened to Aang in the Spirit World that night?" She asked, her voice low. "Who summoned him?"

A month back, after the Avatar defeated Tonrar and the group were in the Fire Nation meeting Meiya for the first time, Aang had unexpectedly and painfully been drawn into the Spirit World. When he had finally returned, looking beaten and exhausted, he had told them all that it wasn't over. But that, for whatever reason, was all he had ever said on the matter, and he had left for his room before answering any of their questions.

"No," Zuko replied, frowning. "He's refusing to talk about it."

"I don't like it," Sokka muttered.

"I don't think anyone does, Sokka," Toph grumbled. "It's something big, I can feel it."

"This is ridiculous," Katara snapped. "He has to tell us."

"We've all tried, Katara," Zuko muttered.

"What about you, Iroh?" Katara asked. "He must have told you at least."

"No, he hasn't," Iroh shook his head.

"Did you ask?"

"No, I didn't."

"What? Why?" Katara cried, before clamping a hand over her mouth as she noticed their fellow patrons glance over in surprise. "Why haven't you asked?" She hissed between her fingers.

"Katara, I'll tell you what I've told the others," Iroh sighed. "Aang is the Avatar. You are all his friends, but his duties are his own, and he will deal with them however he sees best to."

"But we can help," she muttered, fuming. "He doesn't have to do it all alone."

"Last time you helped him with an issue surrounding the spirits he almost got you killed," Iroh reminded firmly. "If Aang chooses not to tell us then I believe that there's a good reason for it. After all you've been through together by now I would hope that you can trust him to be making the right choice."

The group fell silent, but Katara couldn't help it. She wanted to know ... needed to know. Whatever this was, she was certain that it involved all of them, and Aang had no right to keep it secret from them.

Later that day, the group headed back to their temporary home on the Upper Ring, and headed into the hall to find Hakoda sitting there already waiting for them, looking somewhat grim.

"Should we ask how it went?" Sokka said doubtfully.

Hakoda laughed dryly. "For the most part Arnook is in the same mind as the Avatar. It's his two companions that I'm worried about ..."

"I still can't believe Arnook brought Hanh," Sokka growled. "The guy's a complete tool!"

"Will we need to discuss it?" Zuko asked, rubbing the back of his neck.

Hakoda sighed. "I think it'd be best."

"I'll go and get Aang," Zuko said, marching to the stairs.

Katara took a seat opposite her father, though her eyes followed Zuko up the stairs, her stomach churning.

"Are you ok?" Hakoda asked, putting his hand on hers.

"I'm fine," she replied sweetly, forcing a smile. Toph scoffed.

A few minutes later Zuko came down the stairs followed by Aang. The former looked little less than exhausted, even though it had only been a few hours since they had last seen him. He had changed from his robes into an open chest tunic, and his tired slouch made all the more obvious. She couldn't help but notice how completely he avoided her gaze, his eyes not even shifting towards her for a second.

"Zuko said there's something we need to discuss?" He asked, taking a seat beside the Firelord. Up close she could see the bags under his eyes, and could only wonder it was that had left him so physically drained in just half a day. The others had obviously noted his appearance as well, though no one chose to mention it.

"Yes," Hakoda replied. "Arnook called me earlier today to discuss this republic you and Zuko want."

"That was fast," Aang mused, though his voice was flat.

"I can't say I was surprised," Hakoda shrugged.

"So what did the Chief have to say?" Aang asked.

"Chief Arnook supported every idea you put forth," Hakoda replied. "It would appear and and him are of the sound mind. However-"

"Hanh and Innua," Aang finished. "I had a feeling they'd be trouble. Hanh's an idiot, I have no idea why he's here."

"Thank you!" Sokka cried.

"As for Innua, I know nothing about her. I'm sure she's a very good bender, but being the first female Master to be trained in Northern Water Tribe in however many centuries doesn't automatically make someone a leader."

"She's ..." Hakoda hesitated, trying to find the right words. "Smart. She always seems to be two steps ahead of you, and Arnook clearly sees her as a surrogate daughter."

"That doesn't sound like a bad thing," Katara interrupted. She felt Aang's eyes drawn to her. "Surely we need someone smart on the Council ... Better than that dunderhead, Hanh, anyhow."

Hakoda looked at her for a moment, his mouth twisting in consideration.

"Katara, you're smart. And you're often ahead of the game. But Innua is different. She's ... She seems a little cold, and though Arnook is completely wrapped around her little finger I don't see any love for him in her eyes."

"Did she and Hanh say anything to sway Arnook?" Aang asked, tearing his eyes from Katara.

"Hanh behaved in a manner that was all to predictable," Hakoda laughed. "He asked how I could betray the Water Tribes and work alongside the Firelord, but Arnook soon hushed him. Hanh doesn't care for a republic, truthfully I don't think he even understands it. He's too busy hating on the Fire Nation."

"And Innua?"

"She wants on the council," Hakoda said without any hesitation. "And I think Arnook will step down to allow it."

"Another power hungry madwoman," Toph muttered.

"Invite them over," Zuko said. Sokka blinked at him.

"You're joking, right?"

"No, I'm with Zuko," Aang agreed. "We know very little about either of them, least of all what they'd be like to interact with on a Council."

"Well, alright then, let's invite the Water Tribe Azula and cowardly, ungrateful, stuck-up, so-called General over for some tea," Sokka growled, scowling at Aang.

"Chances are one of them will end up on the Council unless Arnook decides otherwise," Aang replied coldly. "We need to know more about them."

"Can't wait!" Toph cried.

"I can take advantage of that to talk to Arnook alone," Hakoda said.

"Good idea," Aang nodded. "I'll have a message sent to them." He stood and, without another word, turned and climbed back up the stairs to the study.

"Well, seems Aang won't be joining us for dinner," Sokka laughed. "Who's hungry for some home made delicious boomerang puffs?"

Katara pulled a face whilst Zuko and Toph groaned.

Much later that night Katara lay in her bed, staring up at the ceiling. She couldn't help but think about how tired Aang had looked, how short and to the point he had been with his friends. He didn't seem angry, not like he had when they still had Tonrar to deal with, but he certainly wasn't himself. She sighed, wonderful how much of that was because of her ... _He gave up on us,_ she reminded herself. _Not me. He did._ He hadn't fought for her like she always thought he would. She was supposed to be his and he hers forever, that's what she had believed. But he hadn't the courage to fight and as good as gave her away as soon as he had been asked to.

_And he's hiding something_, she reminded herself forcefully. She sat bolt upright, her chest hammering. He was hiding something from all of them. Would he be asleep now? She climbed out of bed, pulling a green dressing gown over her nightdress, tying it tightly round her waist as if the action would rid her of the initial nervousness she felt at what she was about to do. But she had to know. Quietly she slipped out of her room, pausing to listen, and hearing only Toph and Sokka's snores. She gently closed her door, then began to climb the second flight of stairs that lead to the study.

Upstairs was the fifth bedroom, and she assumed that this was were Zuko had set up. She panicked for a second, not knowing which of the doors would lead to the study and which to the bedroom, but then she noticed that one of the doors was much taller than the others, engraved in gold. Of the two it was probably her best guess ... She creeped over to the door, so careful not to make a noise, especially as she knew that Aang had learnt quite a bit from Toph about reading the vibrations around him. She pressed her ear against the door, hearing nothing. Checking once more behind her to make sure that she hadn't been spotted, she crouched and peered through the keyhole.

There wasn't much to make out. The room was very large, from what she could see, and the keyhole small. But some careful squinting and she saw Aang, his head forward on the desk in front of him, clearly fast asleep. Around him stood stacks of scrolls, one of which open before him with his face pressed against it. She hesitated ... would she wake him if she opened the door? But she wanted to see what was on that scroll. She took a deep breath and rubbed her sweaty palms against her knees, ready to stand and turn the doorknob.

It was then that Aang stirred. She saw his fist clench, and he groaned. She squinted, peering back in at him. He began to mutter, and she strained her ears to hear what he was saying, though all she could catch were the words 'I can save them'. She shuddered for the first time. Suddenly, he cried out, sitting bolt up right at the table, his eyes wide and she jumped herself, alarmed. She pressed her face back against the door to see his shoulder slump, and his head fall into his hands. She frowned ... there was so much more going on that he was willing to tell them. He looked like he was falling apart.

The floor creaked, as she lent back on her heels, and she froze. She saw Aang look sharply up the door, a frown on his face, and she panicked. She pulled herself from the door and as quickly and as quietly as she could ran back down the stairs to her room. She never heard the study door open, and even as she sat back on her bed, panting, there was no creak or step to indicate that Aang had even moved. She lay back down, trying to catch her breath, and hoping that Aang had no idea that she had seen his nightmare.


	4. Chapter 4

Somehow Aang had managed to fall asleep after yet another nightmare had plagued him that night. As much as he willed them to stop, for the nightly terrors to leave him, they never did. Each night the same scene opened up before him, and the same words spoke to him from the same cruel and terrifying face. Although last night something had felt different, and even as he woke he knew that he was being watched.

He still wore the same clothes he had been wearing yesterday, having simply passed out on the table, but hadn't the energy to find anything new. With a yawn he opened his door, heading to the bathroom to at least attempt a shower.

He came down into the hall twenty minutes later to see Sokka and Toph sitting at the table, the latter bravely attempting to eat the remains of Sokka's somewhat questionable boomerang puffs. Sokka held the plate out to him, raising an eyebrow, and Aang found himself thankful, not for the first time, that he was vegetarian.

"I'll just stick with some rice rolls if that's all the same with you, Sokka," he said.

"Just eat the meaty puff!" Sokka said, pushing the plate under his nose.

"No time to sit for breakfast," Toph cried, grabbing Aang by the arm and pulling him aside. "Put this in your face-" she shoved a rice roll in his mouth. "And come outside."

"Why?" Aang managed over the food in his mouth, trying not to choke.

"Because I'm bored and I'm fed up of seeing you mope around," Toph said simply.

Aang tried to protest, but with his mouth full of roll and Toph's firm grip on his forearm, he realised he wasn't in any position to fight against what was no doubt going to be a painful start to the morning.

Soon, the three of them stood in the large garden courtyard that stood at the back of the house. It just so happened to make a perfect sparring arena, something that Toph had been eager to take advantage of since they had come here a couple weeks back. Each time Aang had managed to avoid it, slipping off to do some work or visit Appa, but on this occasion he was gagged with a roll and Sokka was barring the door.

"When was the last time you did any real earth bending?" Toph asked. "You've got lazy! And the world can't be saved by a fat, lazy Avatar!"

Aang swallowed what remained of his roll. "Fat?!"

"You heard me, Twinkletoes. Just feeling you walk around makes me cringe, you're heavy and sluggish, and no student of mine is permitted to be in any less than peak physical preparedness! Now, stand over there." She pointed opposite her, at the end of the 'arena'.

Aang sighed, then looked over at Sokka who was grinning broadly.

"I ain't gonna save ya," he said with a laugh.

Aang slumped over to the position dictated to him.

"Stop slouching!" Toph yelled.

Aang stood up straight immediately.

"Right, the rules!" Toph cracked her knuckles. "Sokka, let me have them."

Sokka cleared his throat, then announced in an exaggeratedly deep voice:

"Rule number one: no air bending!"

Aang sighed.

"Rule number two: no crying. And rule number three: no pussyfooting out, that means you, Twinkletoes!"

"Did you just called me Twinkletoes?" Aang demanded, whilst Sokka shrugged and sneered.

"I don't write the rules."

"Ready, Twinkletoes?" Toph called, her sneer even more sinister than Sokka's. Aang groaned then turned to face her.

"Alright, alright, let's get this over and done with," he sighed.

"That's what I like to hear!"

Then, before Aang had even gotten into his stance, Toph stomped a chunk of earth from the ground and kicked it straight at him. He jumped to the side, avoiding it.

"Stop dancing and earth bend!"

Another boulder was kicked at him, and he bent his knees and pulled a shield of earth up in front of him, the boulder smashing against it.

"Pfft, always on the defense," Toph muttered, pulling up a wall of earth behind Aang, and attempting to drag it back down on top of him. Aang pulled up a second shield, to weaken it's blow, then smashed his way through both of them. He jumped on top of the wall that Toph had formed and kicked sections of it towards Toph. She dodged most, though as the last one hurtled towards her she held up her fist, smashing straight through it, her face a devious grin. She grabbed the wall he was stood on and pulled it straight back into the earth. Aang leaped just in time, though the cloud of dust still wafted over him. His instinct was to air bend it away, but he fought against it, knowing full well that in the dust Toph had the advantage.

Sure enough, he felt the rocks pelting towards him, and his crouched low to the ground, kicking out and firing small pebbles fast in Toph's direction. He heard her yelp as one caught her, yet even in this small triumph she was quick to react, and the rock beneath him shot up, throwing him backwards into the air. He landed a little harder than he would have liked, but still remained on his feet. He pulled rock up before him and threw it at her, but it was way off it's mark.

"Stop trying to hit me and hit me!" Toph cried, smashing both hands against her chest and cackling. Almost lazily she pulled up the earth beneath Aang again and he was forced to jump out of the way.

He noticed a flash of blue in the corner of his eye, and looked round to see Katara shuffling in to join her brother. _Hang on,_ he thought, _why does she look so guilty? Wait, was she th-_

"Pay attention!" Toph yelled, and a column of rock shot up before him, and he swerved narrowly avoiding a thump in the stomach.

He looked back at Toph, facing him and pulling more rock into the air with her fists, punching each of them towards him. He dodged each, watching Tophs feet twist and slam on the ground as she felt each and every move he made. It was then that an idea struck him. He crouched back on the ground then, with his fists, pulled several columns of earth up on her right. She made to defend, but lowered her arms as Aang pulled them back into the ground.

"What was the point in that, Twinkletoes?" She snapped, sounding irritated. Aang smirked, taking a step to the left then pulling up columns of earth up on both sides of her. She snarled, flicking her wrists and smashing them as if she were swatting a fly, but with each column she broke Aang would pull up another on the opposite side then, just as she seemed at the peak of her annoyance, Aang smashed his heel into the earth. He watched Toph's eyes widen as she caught on to what he was doing, but the rock had already rose from the ground around her and encased her.

She mouthed wordlessly for a second, then snarled, "that was a cheap trick, baldy!"

Aang laughed, then bowed. "Thank you, sifu Toph," he said.

She pulled the rock down from around her, her fists clenched and looked ready to give Aang a good pummeling, but the pair were distracted by a slow clap coming from the door.

Aang looked round to see Hanh and Innua saunter into the courtyard. Hanh looked somewhat shocked by the scene before him, but Innua grinned deviously, stopping beside Sokka, and resting her elbow against his shoulder. Sokka looked across at her, his eyebrows raised and his nose crinkled.

"Very impressive," Innua said, her voice silken and feminine, though her eyes glinted. She was a wild looking woman. Her dark dreads were pulled into a high messy bun, and her lips were painted a deep blood red. She wore a blue, low cut cropped top, and deep blue pants that hung low on her hips. She certainly was pretty, but in a decidedly dangerous way. "My turn."

Aang raised an eyebrow, "we didn't call you both here for a sparring session," he said.

Innua giggled, taking her elbow off Sokka's shoulder, who shrugged across at Katara, looking bemused. She stood closer to Aang, placing a hand on her hip.

"No, you wanted to get to know us," she said. Then she winked at him. "How better to get to know a girl than with a good old fashioned water fight?"

Aang looked across at her, doubtful, not feeling particular keen on starting a fight with this unusual woman. But Toph took a step forward and yelled, "kick her ass, Twinkletoes!"

"Twinkletoes?" Innua asked, raising an eyebrow. "How adorable."

Aang glowered at Toph.

"Come on, Avatar," she said, raising her delicate fingers and summoning water from the very air around her. Aang blinked, having not even seen Katara achieve this. "Let's have a little fun." She formed the water into a ball, then chucked it across at him. Instinctively he caught it, the water washing around his hand. She grinned once more summoning water from the air, though on this occasion the plants in the garden shriveled and died.

"Ok," Aang agreed. "But on one condition. If I win you tell me exactly why you want to be on the council."

If Innua was surprised at his words, she didn't show it. "Ok then, Avatar," she agreed. "And if I win, you tell me exactly how close you were to killing your friends that night in the South Pole."

Aang's eyebrow's raised in surprise. Without meaning to he glanced across as Katara, who looked every bit as surprised as he did, though her fists were clenched in defiance as she looked at the Northern Tribe water bender. As quick as the glance was, Innua seemed to have noticed, and she giggled softly, looking across at Katara.

"Ready?"

Aang stepped back onto his left foot, his right shoulder forward, and the water encasing his right arm. "Ready."

He wasn't at all ready for the way this water bender fought.

In the blink of an eye, Innua had pulled the globe of water out into a long thin whip that she wrapped around her body, letting it slide between the fingers of both her hands. She twisted on her heel, using the momentum to propel the water forward, and it hurtled towards Aang like a snake uncoiled and desperate for the kill. Aang dodged, but she pulled back with her palm and the whip threatened to tighten around him. He raised his right arm, the water freezing a sharp ice shield around it and he sliced through the whip. He turned to face her, ready to attack before she could recover, but she had already twisted into the air, whipping the other half of her watery coil out at him. Again he rose his fist, breaking the whip, but was forced to duck as the other half of tendril pulled itself together and snapped at him again.

She giggled, flicking her wrist as the whip swung round and round in front of her, her other hand delicately caressing the long rope of water that she seemed to favour.

Aang pulled the water from his right arm, letting it flow in front of him. She was good. But he was better. He stepped forward, ducking and letting the water slice towards her feet. She jumped to dodge, pulling back her arms and whipping the water towards him with full force, and he was too slow to form the water back into a shield again. He rolled off to the side to avoid her blow. As he did so he dropped his water, and he quickly thrust out his arm to grasp it once more then, forming a whip of his own, aimed towards her. Again she dodged, twisting and curling her whip around her, and the ends split into three. She grinned at him then, swinging one arm then the other, charged at him.

He had no choice but to jump and evade, each slice dangerously close to his face. He looked up, expecting to see her completely out of control with the speed she was attacking, but her movements were graceful and easy, the momentum of her twists creating the speed with which each attack fell. Fortunately for Aang, his training in air bending had left him fast, almost too fast for her to catch. He formed shields over his wrists again, raising and cutting through each whip that got close to him. But he was in her playing field here, he needed to get closer to her, out of the reach of those sharp, quick slashes. Reaching up with both hands he's pushed himself forward to block the slice then, twisting his arms, hooked the whip underneath his arm, freezing it as he did so. Innua's eyes widened in surprise as he pulled her closer to him, snapping her whip. He shot water at her feet, aiming to freeze it around her and tie her to the ground, but she leapt deftly to the side, grabbing the frozen end of her whip. Aang had put so much strength into pulling her close so he could get within range that he was completely unprepared for her, in turn, pulling him closer. He dropped the frozen rope, taking a step back, then felt a tendril of water wrap itself around his throat. She twisted the whip around herself, the whip wrapping tighter around his throat until he was face to face with her. She smirked, then reached forward and kissed him on the nose. In his surprise he drew back, raising both arms and, though he had no idea how he had managed to do so, pulled a small amount of water from the air around him. The lasso faded, all of the water that Innua had been controlling flowing straight onto her arm and, as Aang drew his fist forward, she reached out and grabbed, it, freezing their hands together. Aang blinked in surprise, but before he could react she ducked underneath him, pulling his elbow down and his wrist behind his back. He yelped as she twisted his wrist right up into the middle of his neck, leaving a stab of pain running across his arm and chest. Unable to move, she kicked his feet from under him so he fell onto his chest and face and, as if in a final act of indignity, she sat on his back, holding his wrist there.

"Looks like I win," she said sweetly, whilst their stunned audience watching on in silence. "Now," she leaned foward, Aang wincing as she pressed her weight into his wrist. "Tell me. How close were you to killing them?"

He hissed through gritted teeth, feeling ice spread across his back as she froze his arm in place.

"Too close," Aang replied, trying very hard to keep his voice even and not let on just how much pain he was in in this position.

"That's not an answer," she said, leaning further forward, her lips close to his ear so that only he could hear. "Don't tell me you didn't feel that rush of adrenaline when you knew you could take their lives. Tonrar could only control what was already there, hidden deep inside."

Aang remember it, that feeling, that desire to kill. But that had been Tonrar, not him. Tonrar had created those feelings inside him. Right?

"Now, this time answer me," she whispered. "How close?"

He paused. "They were dead," he said finally. "If I hadn't gained control there was nothing they could have done to stop it."

She leaned back, grinning triumphantly whilst Aang's face remained pressed to the dirt. The water unfroze across his back and she let go of his wrist, standing. With a gasp of relief Aang pulled his arm back round, pushing himself up, holding his very swollen hand.

"I guess now we understand each other perfectly," Innua said, looking down at him. She turned on her heel, heading towards the door.

"What? We're leaving?" Hanh asked.

"The Avatar knows all he needs to now," she said, waving her hand. "And so do we."

Without so much as a glance back she left the courtyard and Hanh, frowning and looking fed up, followed.

~

Later Aang sat at the table, his arm resting on the surface whilst Katara healed it. No one seemed ready to speak, and Aang kept his head down, looking at his arm as Katara worked her magic, refusing to meet any of their gazes.

She didn't want to be on the council for the power of it, that he knew now. It was a game to her, the entire thing. The joy she felt manipulating people in body and soul was enough, and that's what she planned to do. But she was curious ... perhaps the idea of manipulating the Avatar was simply too delectible for her to ignore? Deep down, though, he knew it spread further than that. He'd seen something in her eyes, something that frightened him to his core.

"You'd have thought dad could have warned us a little more," Sokka tried eventually, forcing a brightness to his voice.

Aang merely grunted.

"She's insane," Toph said.

"No, she's not," Aang muttered. He felt Katara falter, the glow of her water fading before she recovered.

"You've got to be kidding me?" Sokka said. "That girl could not be any more crazy if she tried."

Aang remained silent, thinking over what he felt he had seen in her eyes, in the grace of her movements. In truth, it reminded him of something, or maybe someone. He frowned, rubbing his forehead with his undamaged arm.

"Aang?" He glanced up to see Katara looking at him. For a moment, he felt his mind ease, and his soul brighten, but her jaw was set, and her eyes all but glaring at his.

"What are you not telling us?" She asked, her voice firm.

He looked away from her, his gaze falling back to his arm. He knew how badly they all wanted to know what had happened in the Spirit World, the reason he would spend so much time alone in the study ... but what could he tell them? He didn't even understand this himself? Could he risk putting them on in danger just to satisfy their craving?

"I don't know," he said finally. "I'm trying to understand, but I can't."

"Understand what?" Katara pressed, her hand now holding his forearm. He clenched his fist, realising his arm was now healed, and pulled away from her.

"Please don't ask me again," he said, softly, but firmly. He brought his gaze up to hers, and he saw an unfamiliar shadow cross her face. He stood. "Thank you for healing my hand."

She never took her eyes from him, and he saw the tears begin to form, and her heart smash to pieces. This was it ... this was the moment that he would lose her forever.

"I'm sorry," he said, his voice cracking with emotion, with guilt, with heart break. He turned from her, ignoring Sokka and Toph, and headed back towards his study.

The words of his old teacher, Guru Pathik, stirred in his memory. _You must learn to let go_. His heart sank to his feet. _I hope you were right about this, Pathik. I never planned to let her go._

Behind him, Sokka and Toph watched him leave, and Katara sat, her hands lying useless at her sides as tears fell down her cheeks.


	5. Chapter 5

In the days that passed, Hakoda and the others were often called into 'private' meetings between the leaders from each of the Nations. In each instance, the Avatar was not invited, and Aang knew that, for the most part, most of them were still uncertain as to whether they could trust him or not. General Mamoru in particular was most wary of him, a fact she made certain the Firelord was aware of, and despite his initial positivity he was seriously starting to doubt whether or not the republic was going to happen.

It wasn't just his politcal concerns that kept him awake at night, either. His battle with Innua stuck clear in his mind, and he couldn't stop thinking over that dangerous glint in her eye, and the way she had known the thoughts that Tonrar had pushed into his mind. Each night that he managed sleep he would find himself reliving the same nightmare, the same row of terrifying teeth and the stench of that insectal body. The blood on his face and hands felt so real, and when he woke it was as though it still clung to him, and he would almost see Innua standing in front of him, her hands on her hips and her eyes sparkling in the gloom. Perhaps, he wondered not for the first time, he was going insane.

On the day of the second meeting Aang stood in the bathroom, struggling to cope with his exhaustion. The nightmare had come yet again, and though he had managed to drift back off to sleep after he felt no more rested than if he hadn't. He looked at his reflection in the mirror, the bags under his eyes so clear no matter how much water he splash on his face. He had lost weight, he noted. He had certainly always been a thin man, but his cheekbones and his ribs had never been so prominent. He rubbed his hands over his face, wondering how he was supposed to get through today looking as he did. Everyone would certainly notice. How was he supposed to instal trust in these people when he looked exhausted and half starved? He pulled on his robes, thankful at least that his ceremonial over robe covered up much of his skinniness.

He headed down into the main hall of the house to see Zuko and Hakoda were already up, seated at the table and eating the breakfast that one of the servents had prepared for them. Aang had told Zuko of what had occurred between himself and Innua, and made it expressively clear that they weren't to trust her motives. Hakoda had heard the story from his children, for which Aang had been thankful. The pair looked up as he came in and he could tell from their expressions that his exhaustion was all too clear.

"We're not doing this today," Zuko said at once, dropping his spoon into his bowl and frowning at Aang.

"Don't be ridiculous," Aang replied, ignoring Zuko's gaze and putting some food into his bowl. "We can't cancel."

"Aang do you have any idea just how ill you look?"

Aang looked up at Zuko, frowning in turn. "I'm fine," he said shortly. "I just didn't sleep last night."

Zuko began to grind his teeth, whilst Hakoda looked between the pair, his brow raised.

"No," Zuko said at last. "You look like you haven't slept for an entire month. Or eaten."

"Zuko, I'm fine," Aang repeated, angrily.

"I'm with the Firelord," Hakoda said. Aang's gaze snapped towards him, irritated. "Aang half of them are dubious enough about this as it is. If you turn up looking as though the stress is about to kill you you're not going to be winning over anyone."

"Look, I'll handle this meeting," Zuko said. "I'll tell everyone that you felt it would be a good idea for us all to discuss things without your presence. Which, in all honesty, I don't think is a bad idea anyway. And it shows that you have enough trust in them to talk this over without you."

Aang looked across at Zuko, doubtfully.

"Please, Aang," Zuko continued, his voice softening as he looked at his friend. "Get some sleep. I've told you before you don't have to organise the entire of the republic yourself."

Aang sighed, bringing his hand to his forehead and rubbing the bridge of his nose, then nodded.

"Ok. But at least can we run through it now to make sure everything is being covered?"

Grudgingly Zuko nodded, and, after Aang had filled his plate, the pair began to go over each of the points that needed to be raised.

Before long Toph, Sokka and Katara joined them. He faltered in his conversation slightly as Katara entered the room, which Zuko noticed, but he kept his gaze from her and plowed through.

"Just make sure that all of them, particularly Arnook, know that they are responsible for choosing the candidates, and the candidates could potentially be on the council," Aang said. "We need people we can trust, Zuko."

"You don't have to tell me twice," Zuko replied, shrugging. "But at least Hanh seems ... malleable. He may hate me and the Fire Nation, but at least he hasn't a hidden agenda like Innua does."

Aang grunted, shuddering. "But the point is I want everyone on the council to be a representative of their Nation ... not someone who can be manipulated." He sighed. "The Tribes make it difficult-"

"Oh, we're sorry," Katara snapped, rolling her eyes.

Aang glanced across at her, aware of how coldly Hakoda was now eying him, and chose to ignore her comment.

"The Tribes make it difficult because, realistically, we can't have one representative to cover both. The Northern Tribe do things different from the Southern," he continued.

"Perhaps only the Northern should be involved, then," Hakoda said. Aang looked up in surprise, as did Sokka.

"You're kidding, right?" Sokka said. "Dad, we've been struggling because we're so far from any of the main Cities. If the republic goes ahead and we're not part of it we're just going to get left behind."

"I wouldn't let the Southern Water Tribe get left behind," Aang said reproachfully. "But Sokka's right. If one of you are on the council then you get equal say in everything that goes on in the republic."

Hakoda sighed, shaking his head.

"Avatar there's one thing you're not getting. Our Tribe is falling apart. Bato is doing all he can but how can we cope with losing one of our own to you and this republic city."

Aang blinked in surprise. "Losing one your own? The representative would be free to continue living in their own home, I'm not expecting each of them to move to the city permanently."

"The travel alone would keep them away from home much of the time," Hakoda replied.

"We'll work it out," Sokka assured him.

"We should probably get going," Zuko interrupted, looking outside.

"Ok. Look, if anything goes wrong or-"

"I know, I know, Aang," Zuko sighed. "I'll send for you. But it won't, so don't sit there expecting it to."

"You're not coming?" Toph asked

"No," Zuko replied before Aang could. "As far as the council knows Aang has requested a meeting without his presence to smooth things over. But really Aang needs to get some damn sleep."

"You do look pretty terrible," Sokka told him, looking him up and down.

"Thanks, Sokka," Aang replied dryly.

He watched as his friends gathered and left the house, headed towards the carriage that stood waiting for them. Katara glanced back, their eyes meeting for a moment, but then the carriage began to move and she was soon out of his sight.

As much as he hated to admit it, he was glad that they had left him behind. He got up to head towards the study, ready to surround himself once more with the piles of scrolls he had found on the Spirit World, but paused. Quietly he sneaked to the front door and peered out. No guards. He left the house, looking around to make sure that he hadn't simply missed them, but no. Perhaps, he thought, it was time to take advantage of this. He ran back into the house, leaping up the stairs to grab his glider from his study and then, with one last check to see for any guards below, leaped from the study window.

He immediately felt relief sinking in as he glided through the air, spiraling higher, away from the prying noses of the Upper Ring. It had been weeks since he had been out on his glider. General How had made it painfully clear to him that, whilst he was under their watch, he was to remain in the house unless accompanied by a guard. Aang, understanding the reason, had agreed, but now there were no guards and General How was with Zuko in the meeting. He laughed to himself as he shot through the air, heading towards the outer wall.

After flying several loops around the wall of the inner city, staying just high enough that no one would notice him from below, he landed lightly on the wall itself which, for the most part, remained unguarded in this new post-war era. Heading towards the rim, he rest his arms on wall, looking out at the city before him. He could see the council halls from here, and wondered briefly whether they had started yet.

"Well, isn't this a pleasant surprise?"

Aang started, and swung to look behind him. Innua stood before him, her hands on her hips, a sinister smile on her face. Aang quickly looked at the wall surrounding them, seeing no way that she could have climbed up after him ... Has she been there the whole time?

"Shouldn't you be at the meeting?" He asked, frowning.

She smirked. "Shouldn't you?"

His frown deepened. "What do you want?"

Innue put her hand to her chest in mock disbelief. "I don't want anything. I'm just taking a walk, like you."

"I find that difficult to believe, Innua," Aang replied, leaning back against the wall and holding his staff before him. Innua smiled, and sauntered towards him, leaning against the wall beside him. Aang pulled back slightly.

"Oh, relax, I'm not going to break your arm again," she giggled. Then she looked across at him, unabashedly looking him up and down. Aang fought the urge to shiver.

"You're not very well. Are you?" This wasn't a question, and her gaze settled on his face, taking in his prominent cheekbones and tired eyes.

"I'm fine," Aang snapped.

She rolled to her side, her body facing him, and placed a hand back on her hip.

"How long haven't you been sleeping?" Again, this came out as more of a statement than a question.

"Why are you asking?" Aang questioned, frowning at her.

She giggled again, the sound haunting. She pulled herself from the wall and, before he could react, she stood in front him, her legs either side of his. He attempted to pull back, but with a kick of her heel she knocked his staff from his hand, and he watched as it rolled away from him.

"There are things you don't know about me," she all but whispered, putting her hands against his chest and cocking her head to one side. "And as much as I would love to tell you about it, it's going to be much more fun to watch you try and work it out."

He narrowed his eyes at her, grabbing her wrists with his hands and pushing her back.

"What's your game?" He asked. But he could see it, that familiar glint, and it terrified him.

He she laughed delightedly, her teeth flashing in the sunlight. "Oh, don't worry, Twinkletoes. It's fun." She pulled her wrists from his hand, winking at him, then turned on her heel and, without a backwards glance, leaped from the wall.

"Wait!"

Aang grabbed his staff and jumped after her. As she fell, he saw her hold her arms and legs spread eagled, making no effort to catch anything as she fell. He pushed the air behind him, reaching forward, then grabbed her around the waist, opening his glider as he did so. With no time to swirl back up he balled air beneath him, bring them to a slow stop on the ground below. He let her go, closing his staff and raising his arms as she smiled back over her shoulder at him.

"Are you crazy?!" He yelled, his hands in the air.

He became aware of people around them, all of whom had stopped dead in shock at the sudden sight of the Avatar swooping down to catch a girl falling through the air. People became to whisper.

"Are you sure you're not?" She asked, silkily. "Until next time, Twinkletoes." She waved and walked off through the town. Aang watched her go, completely bemused.

The Avatar's here ... What nerve he has ... He destroyed the Fire Nation ... No, he's working with the Firelord ... coward ... betrayed us ...

Aang caught the whispers around him, and the Upper class citizens of Ba Sing Se crowded about him. So this was her game, he thought to himself. With a sigh, he stamped down his staff, opening it into a glider, then leaped into the air, pushing the air under it's sails.

Later that day, Aang sat at the table, waiting for his friends to get back. Eventually, the doors opened and Zuko walked in, deep in conversation with the others over his shoulder.

"How'd it go?" Aang asked immediately, and Zuko started slightly.

"Oh, Aang, I thought you'd be in your study."

Aang shook his head, looking expectantly at the Firelord. They group took a seat at the table, aside from Hakoda who headed off to the kitchen with mumbles of tea.

"It went well," Zuko replied, though Aang could tell thre was more to it than that.

"And?"

"And it went well," Zuko repeated, with a shrug. "Everyone's keen on the idea, and no seemed to have anything further to add, really. Chief Arnook requested that he could head back to the Northern Water Tribe to talk to his people and his counselors."

"Already?"

"Well, as I said, it went well. I know you'd like to have one more meeting with them, but I don't think it'll be necessary."

Aang frowned, noting Sokka glancing across as Zuko.

"There's something else?"

Zuko shot Sokka an exasperated look. "Well, yes. I was rather hoping we could talk about this tomorrow, though."

"That ain't gonna happen," Toph said, slumped against the table.

"Well, Innua didn't turn up until halfway through the meeting ... Arnook seemed to think it was ok to start without her, and he didn't seem terribly surprised when she sauntered in late."

"I know," Aang said, rubbing his forehead. "I saw her."

Katara looked up, raising her eyebrows.

"Saw her?" Zuko queried. "She came here?"

Aang shifted slightly. "I kinda broke out," he said, with a wry grin. "General How neglected to leave any guards behind, so I thought I'd grab some air."

Sokka laughed. "How's going to be having kittens when he finds out."

"So where did you see Innua?" Zuko pressed.

"On top of the wall," Aang replied, realising full well how ridiculous it sounded. "I did try not to let anyone see me, and the wall's unguarded so ..." he shrugged. "But Innua was following me. Or she was already there. I'm not sure on that detail."

"What did she say?"

"Well ... to be honest she didn't really say anything," Aang admitted. "She said there was something that I didn't know, but she wouldn't tell me what."

"So far she likes to make a big song and dance but she never actually tells us anything ..." Sokka grumbled. "I don't think I like her."

Aang laughed dryly. "You always were a good judge of character," he chuckled.

"Well, I guess what's done is done," Zuko sighed. "Either way Innua will be leaving with Chief Arnook tomorrow. We'll find out what she wants before long."

Aang scratched his nails against the table, somewhat lost in thought. There was more to this than just the republic ... Could she have something to do with what was threatening to destroy their world? Could that be possible?

"Aang?"

He jumped, looking up. "Huh?"

"I was just saying to the guys, what's the plan now?" Sokka asked. Hakoda joined them, carrying a tray of tea.

"Uhh, well, I guess nothing, really. Not until each of the Nations are ready to present their representatives and we can start the vote," Aang replied.

"I wonder how big Suki is now," Sokka wondered. "And how angry ..." he added with a shudder.

"Are you coming back with us to the Fire Nation?" Zuko asked Aang.

He considered for a moment, then nodded. "For a little while. But I'll be leaving for the Air Temples before long."

"I need to round up my old metal bending students for if I'm going to be running this police force," Toph said, stretching forward and clicking her knuckles. "Any chance you could drop me off on the way, Twinkletoes?"

Aang nodded, though winced at the nickname..

"Katara, are you going back with dad?" Sokka asked.

In spite of himself, Aang glanced at her, his heart leaping. She looked across at her dad, biting her lip.

"No," she said finally.

Hakoda raised his brow in surprise. "Wasn't that the plan?"

"I want to check on Suki," she said. "Then I can travel back with her and Sokka so I can keep an eye on her."

"I'm not completely useless," Sokka protested. Katara laughed.

"If Suki has any contractions on the way home you will be," she teased.

Sokka paled.

"You can come too?" Katara said to her dad, and Aang felt his stomach drop, holding back a groan.

"No no," Hakoda shook his head. "I've left Bato to deal with everything for far too long already."

"You can take the air ship," Zuko said. "The rest of us can fit on Appa. It'll be much quicker than by boat."

"Thank you," Hakoda said, taking a sip of tea.

For the remainder of the day the group sat in comfortable silence, even Aang stayed with them, though for the most part he seemed lost in thought. Eventually, each of them called it a night, and before long it was just Aang, Zuko and Katara left in the room. Katara brought another pot of tea in, and the sound of it hitting the table stirred Aang from his daydreams.

"What's on your mind?" Zuko asked after thanking Katara for the tea. Katara glanced over, though tried not to look too interested, busying herself with her mug.

Aang picked at the table with his fingernails for a while longer then, eventually, "what do we know about her?"

"Who?" Zuko asked.

"Innua."

"Oh, of course." Zuko turned to Katara. "You must know more about her than we do, surely?"

Katara shrugged. "I don't know very much, to tell you the truth. When we left the North Pole the first time, she managed to convince Master Pakku to teach her, but I imagine when Pakku came to live with Gran-Gran-" he voice caught in her throat for a second, and she hurriedly took a sip of tea, then coughed lightly. " When Pakku came to live with Gran-Gran she must have been left without a Master ... I don't know who she learnt her bending from, unless one of the other men taught her."

"Whoever taught her ... she's good," Aang muttered.

"Actually, she's not," Katara said, without a hint of malice. Aang raised an eyebrow at her, though she never met his gaze. "She used the same form throughout the entire battle ... did you not notice?" It was her turn to raise a brow at him, a slight smirk playing on her lips. Aang considered it for a moment, then nodded.

"Then how did she beat you?" Zuko asked.

"She was fast," Katara replied. "She's fast and she was able to predict Aang's moves ... which in itself is odd given she's presumably never seen him water bend before."

"Aang, why does she bother you so much?" Zuko asked, nudging him. "Hanh and How are every bit as dangerous to the republic as she is, if you ask me."

"Is it just because she beat you?" Katara mocked.

"Of course not," Aang snapped.

"Funny how you're not putting as much thought to the last water bender who kicked your ass," she said curtly, taking another sip of tea.

Aang frowned up at her, and Zuko looked between the two, alarmed.

"Uhh, so why does she bother you?" He repeated, trying to get back on topic.

Aang looked across at him, thoughtful, though Katara's words still sliced through him.

"I recognise her ... or, well, she reminds me of someone. Or maybe something? I don't know. That doesn't help?"

Zuko shook his head, looking bemused.

"I'm sure I'll work it out," Aang shrugged. "All I know is we can't trust her."

The threesome sat in silence, musing over the nature of the mysterious water bender, sipping their tea.

"Ok, I'm off to bed," Aang said eventually. "Goodnight."

"Night, Aang," Zuko said. Katara said nothing.

Aang climbed the stairs back to the study, flopping down behind his desk and looking disconsolately around at the pile of scrolls and books that surrounded him. It was feeling more and more hopeless as time went by ... he couldn't find Koh, he couldn't contact Roku, and no matter how desperately he looked he couldn't find any hints in any of the literature he'd read that gave him even the slightest clue of what he was supposed to do.

"Why did you warn me?" Aang sighed out loud. "Why drag me into the Spirit World and leave me no details, no hints ... nothing?"

He flopped onto his back, not bothered to remove his robes or grab the blanket that lay on the other side of the room. It wasn't like he was going to get much sleep anyway.

~

Katara watched Aang leave and, when she was sure he was out of ear shot, turned to Zuko.

"There's something I've been wanting to tell you," she said, her voice low.

Zuko looked up inquisitively.

"I know Iroh told us to leave it be, but I can't stand not knowing what's going on with him ... why he's losing sleep."

Zuko sighed. "I didn't think you'd let it go," he replied, shaking his head.

"Ok, well, I sorta ... spied on him one night," she shifted, rubbing her arm. Zuko laughed at the guilty look on her face, seeming both horrified and impressed.

"That's ... shameful," he chuckled.

"I know, I know, but I was angry."

"Well, what did you see?"

"He had a nightmare," Katara replied. "Which I know could mean nothing, but it was like he was just resigned to it. As if he'd had them before."

"You think he's not sleeping because of nightmares?" Zuko asked.

"I think that the nightmare and what dragged him off to the Spirit World that night are related," Katara confirmed.

"When we're back in the Fire Nation I'll try and talk to him again," Zuko said, rubbing his chin. "You're probably right. Honestly I wasn't going to get involved unless he asked me to, but seeing him this morning ..." he exhaled, sounding tired. "I'll talk to him," he promised her, looking up at her concerned face.

"Ok, thank you, Zuko."

"Katara?"

"Hmm?"

Zuko hesitated, she watched as his brow furrowed and he started picking at his thumbnail. "Are you going to talk to him?"

Her heart sunk.

"I know it's not my place but ... whatever is going on between you two, you need to talk about it."

"I'm not sure it's going to be as simple as all that," Katara sighed.

Zuko nodded in understanding. He knew better than most that some things were just too painful to talk about, whether you wanted to or not. He stood, putting a hand on her shoulder. She smiled up at him, and after a brief squeeze he turned and left for his room.

_Is talking even possible any more?_ She thought to herself.

**A/N: I realise at present things seem a little one-sided regarding the Kataang break, and future chapters will explore Katara's thoughts and sentiments behind the break-up, as well as looking into her own feelings towards Aang. For now, bear with me, Kataangst is sad but, I hate to say it, it is rather gripping to write.**


	6. Chapter 6

_"Take it. I wish not to see this any more ..."_

_"I had hoped that you, of all the Avatars I have known, would be stronger. But those flames that burn twice as bright must burn half as long. At last, I will have the Avatar's face."_

Aang woke with a gasp, that same gut wrenching sensation the plagued him every night. His palms were sticky with sweat, and he had to check them just to make sure that the blood still remained in his nightmares. Unconsciously he rubbed his face, checking it was still there ...

With a sigh, he climbed to his feet, looked towards the window of the study. The sun was rising, though it was still early, and even though it wasn't to his taste he could appreciate how the beams flickered and gleamed off the gold rooftops of the houses around them. Perhaps it was still early enough for him to take a walk unnoticed, spirits knows there wasn't much chance of him getting any more sleep before the others woke. With a yawn, he stretched out his back, grabbing his clean over-the-shoulder robes and heading for a quick shower.

A little later he peaked out the front door, making sure no guards were hanging around, then walked out into the early sun. He took a deep breath of the fresh clean air that surrounded him, enjoying the little bit of freedom that was offered to him, taking a left and walking towards where Appa and Momo were housed.

Despite his protests the King's Guard had demanded that Momo had not been allowed in their temporary accommodations, and so the poor little lemur had had to stay in the stables with Appa. Though he was glad that Appa had company, he could only imagine how bored the little fellow must be feeling. At least they could leave her soon, and Momo could get some air under his sails.

The animals were placed in a set of stables that was generally reserved for the ostrich horses that ran the carriages in and out of the Upper Ring of Ba Sing Se, and was decorated every bit as elaborately as the houses were. It's gold tipped roof sparkled ahead of him, and as Aang drew closer he smiled as he heard the familiar grunts and growls of Appa's snores. Momo must have heard him, because he heard a small screech and a flurry of fur collided with his chest, purring and chirruping as it rubbed itself against him. Aang laughed.

"Hey Momo, how're you doing buddy?"

Momo seemed to forget his affection for a moment, and looked up at Aang with a hurt and accusing stare.

"I know, Momo," he sighed, scratching between his ears. "We'll be out of this stuffed up place before long."

Momo narrowed his eyes, as if telling his owner that he would be holding him to that.

Together they walked up to the stable, and Appa, having heard Aang's voice, stirred and yawned a wide yawn. Aang gladly sunk his hands into his friends soft, long fur, glad to be around him again.

"Hey, Appa," he said, petting the great beast. "Hey, I got you guys something."

He pulled a two handfuls of liche nuts out from his pockets, and before he'd even had a chance to offer them out to the animals they had snatched and licked them away. He laughed again, watching Momo flitter off out of Appa's reach, chomping on the nuts in his hands.

"Are you guys up for a trip back to the Air Temples, then?" He asked, though in part he felt as though he was asking himself this question. "Think you can handle being back?"

He sighed, perching on the gate to Appa's stall. For a little while it had all felt simple ... He had Katara. And though he knew they weren't ready for it yet she was going to help him rebuild a Nation. They were going to do it all together, just the two of them. Now, though, he was alone once more. He had the Air Acolytes, and he was proud of their progress, particularly Xing Ying who was every bit an Air Nomad except in birth. But the air benders were gone, and he was fast losing hope that they would ever return.

Appa seemed to sense his distress, moving forward to nudge his masters hand with his nose. But he nudged a little too hard and Aang fell backwards off the gate, laughing hard as he landed on his backside.

"Maybe you should have that beast looked at."

Aang shot up, swinging round to see Innua standing behind him, smirking.

"You again?" He snapped. "What do you want?"

"I just wanted to say goodbye," she said with a shrug. "I didn't want you to miss me."

"I'm sure I won't," Aang said darkly, turning his back on her and climbing back into the stall.

"Still having those nightmares, then?"

Aang paused, inclining his head to look back at her.

"What nightmares?" He asked, his voice cool and level.

Innua giggled, walking forward to lean against the gate, looking up at him from half hooded eyes.

"You know, I could tell you what they mean ..." she inspected one of her dreads. Aang looked at her doubtfully, his heart hammering in his chest.

"You're lying," he said, his mouth dry.

"Why would I lie to you?" Innua asked, her delicate brow raising in surprise.

"What could you possibly know? You're just a water bender from the Northern Tribe ..." though his voice tapered off, and that glint in her eye struck him once more. He was no longer sure that was entirely true.

Innua sighed, leaning back from the gate. "You're right. What could I possible know about Tonrar?" She turned and began to walk away.

"Wait!" Aang jumped over the gate. "What do you know about Tonrar?"

She paused, looking back over her shoulder, grinning with her blood red lips. She looked him up and down, then sighed dramatically. "I said I could tell you, not that I would. Not without getting something in return."

He frowned at her. "You want on the council."

Innua laughed, placing a hand to her chest. She shook her head, wiping away a tear as she walked back towards him.

"That's not what I want from you," she said. "Oh, darling, are you really as clueless as all that? Arnook already has me on that council, there's nothing you can do about that now."

"Arnook may still come to his senses," Aang growled. "There's still plenty of time for that."

Innua just giggled.

"What _do_ you want?" He asked, feeling rotten as he did so.

She grinned, licking her deep red lips and leaning close to him. "How about a kiss?"

He stepped back. "You really are insane."

She lowered her head, looking up at him between her lashes, her grin widening.

"Who are you?" He whispered, wishing he could understand that coldness in her eyes and what it meant.

"Oh, it'd take much more than a kiss for me to tell you that, but no matter." She flicked her hair back, her demeanor changing. "Farewell, Avatar, I'm sure we'll be seeing each other again soon." She turned, almost skipping away from him. And he watched, confused and concerned.

Morning had fully broken by the time he came back to the house, trudging through the door and not really aware of his friends at the table.

"Where have you been?" Sokka asked, taking in the Avatar's deflated appearance.

Aang jumped slightly, looking up. "Huh? Oh, uh, I was with Appa and Momo." He saw entirely unconvinced gazes shared amongst them, and frowned. "Does someone really have to check up on me all the time?"

Toph laughed. "Annoying, isn't it?"

Aang grunted, leaning back against the wall. "Xing Ying and Yee-Li should be here soon, there's going to be a lot of us on Appa."

"We could take a couple trips?" Zuko suggested.

"I think he'll be ok," Aang replied. "But it'll be slow going, we'll need to take quite a few stops on the way, and it's a long journey as it is."

"How long do you think it'll take?" Sokka asked, concerned.

"Three weeks ... possibly four," Aang said, looking apologetically at his friend.

Sokka sighed, stabbing at his breakfast.

"She'll be ok," Hakoda said, putting a hand on his son's shoulder.

"I could go on ahead?" Aang suggested. "I can get there much faster than Appa, and it'd be one less person for him to carry."

"That's a long way to fly alone," Katara said, then blushing and looking away quickly when she realised how openly she'd voiced her concern for him.

"Mai said she would send a hawk if anything went wrong," Zuko assured. "The nurse and midwife who took care of her is keeping a watch on Suki, I'm sure she'll be ok until we get there."

Sukko smiled at Aang, silently thanking him for his offer, and continued to push his food about the bowl.

"Right," Zuko stood. "I need to go and say goodbye to Uncle and fetch Mamoru, anyone else coming with?"

"Yeh, why not? Let's go and see the old guy," Toph replied, standing too.

"I need to wait for the Acolytes," Aang said. "But say goodbye to him for me if in case I don't get time, would you?"

Aang waited until his friends had left before heading back to his study, looking glumly at the scrolls and books piled high on and around the desk. In the weeks he'd been here he'd read through each and every one of them at least twice, and nothing had provided a single clue. With a sigh he grabbed the large satchel that lay abandoned in the corner of the room, and began to roll up the scrolls and slide them in. In truth, Xing Ying and Yee-Li wouldn't be here for another couple of hours, but this way he would have time to return his pile of literature to the Ba Sing Se University without his friends prying into what he had been reading. He shoved the satchel over his shoulder and, with a grunt, lifted the heavy pile of books, hooking them under his chin to stop them sliding off. Carefully he climbed down the stairs, teetering slightly on the bottom step and blowing a puff of air from his cheeks to right himself.

"That's quite a bit of reading material you have there."

An unexpected voice made Aang jump, and he almost dropped them all on the floor, skipping from one leg to the other. He peered over to see Hakoda sitting at the table, eyebrows raised.

"Well, you know, gotta keep busy," Aang replied, keeping his voice light as he carefully nudged the pile straight and hitched the satchel back up onto his shoulder.

There was a pause.

"Do you want a hand?" Hakoda asked, somewhat awkwardly.

"Nah, that's fine, I think I've go-"

There was a loud screech from the door, followed by two men yelling and, through the open window a small blur of fur careered through, changing it's course at the last moment, colliding straight with Aang's head. With a yelp, Aang tripped back, dropping the books and landing on his backside. He sat up to see Momo on his chest, his head cocked to one side.

"Hi Momo," he said, dumbly, blinking at the little creature.

"Avatar sir!" A guard poked his head through the window. "Sir, you're not allowed pets inside the house! General How's orders."

Aang climbed to his feet, holding out the lemur who hissed and swipped his hands at the guard. He swiftly drew his head back, and Aang couldn't help but laugh.

"Alright, alright, we're just leaving anyway," he called out. Hakoda was also laughing at the sight of the lemur starring wide eyed around the main room. Aang glanced at the books on the floor, hoping that Hakoda had the decency not to look through them, and popped Momo on his shoulder. "On seconds thoughts, a hand would be great," he said to the Chief.

Hakoda grabbed half the stack of books, whilst Aang popped the satchel over his shoulder again and grabbed the rest. He tried to ignore the weird feeling in his stomach as Hakoda walked with him to the door.

He checked for a carriage to take them to the University, but the elegant road in front of them stood empty.

"Any chance we could get another carriage to the University?" Aang asked the guards, one of who was all but scowling at the lemur sat on the Avatar's shoulder.

"Uhh," the second guard glanced at his colleague. "There won't be another until your companions return, sir."

"Well, then we'll just walk," Aang said, heading on past the guards.

"You can't!" The second guard cried out, though he seemed hesitant to stand in Aang's way.

"Oh we're leaving today anyway," Aang said, not looking back. "It's not as if we have far to walk."

"Sir, you really ca-"

"If it makes you feel better I promise not to blow anything up, or kidnap the King or sacrifice any of your children to my demon gods," Aang said dismissively.

The guards held back, hesitating, and began to bicker amongst themselves. Hakoda caught up with Aang.

"Sacrifice children to your demon gods?" He asked, raising an eyebrow.

"That's far from the weirdest one I've heard," Aang replied, with a dry laugh.

The pair walked in an uncomfortable silence, Aang occasionally glancing across at the Chief and the stack of books he carried. Momo had climbed onto his head, curling himself up and looking for all the world like a tasteless hat, his tail hanging down the back of his neck. He could feel his little paws gripping him tight, and figured that perhaps Momo had decided enough was enough. Aang was inclined to agree with him, and he couldn't wait to get the hell out of Ba Sing Se either.

"The spirit world, huh?" Hakoda asked. Aang winced, looking back to see the Cheif holding the books out at arms length and checking out the spines. He decided just to nod. Hakoda, however, didn't seem so willing to let it drop. "What's got you so interested in that?"

Aang swallowed, his mind racing as he tried to come up with a reasonable lie. "Yeh, well, since Tonrar I've just been curious about what else is there."

"Surely you can just go to the spirit world and ask?" Hakoda said, chuckling softly.

Aang looked back at him. "Well, the spirit world is as big as ours, in some ways it could be considered bigger. And for the most part the spirits don't make for the best conversations," he added.

Hakoda seemed interested, and Aang was relieved to see that he had torn his attention away from the books.

"But ... so, you can just go over there and talk to them?" He asked.

"I suppose so," Aang shrugged. "But it depends on the spirit. Some can't even speak, at least not in the way you and I do. There are some who are giant ... bigger than mountains. There are others that simply don't want to talk to me," he added, thinking of the baboon spirit that meditated outside of Koh's realm. "Of course, then there are others you don't want to talk to, unless you can help it." Aang had to laugh at the irony of this, given that this particular spirit was the one he needed to see most.

"Like?"

Aang was a little taken back by the question, though the genuine interest on Hakoda's face spurred him to continue. "There's one, his name is Koh. The Face Stealer."

Hakoda shuddered.

"I first met him back in the North Pole when Zhao attacked. I don't-" he hesitated, frowning. "He's not a bad spirit, at least I don't think so. He's one of the oldest, though even older than him is his mother ... the Mother of Faces, the one who gave Ursa her face back. A long time ago they were separated, and it's said that Koh steals the faces of humans and animals to stay close to her."

"That's pretty creepy," Hakoda replied.

"Tell me about it," Aang replied dryly. "He can only steal a face when it shows emotion, so when talking to him you have to remove all hint of emotion from your face. But he will take faces to punish people."

"Punish?"

Aang glanced across at him awkwardly as they walked. "One of my past lives lost the face of his wife to Koh," he said finally. "Avatar Kuruk neglected his duties, and as punishment Koh took her face."

Hakora remained silent for a moment, as the pair scaled the hill that lead towards the University, his expression lost in thought. Aang wondered what thoughts were rushing through his mind, though he had little doubt that they were related to Katara. The truth was, it had been something that had crossed his mind in the past, too. Would Koh ever choose to punish him in this way if he ever neglected his duties? His thoughts drifted to the Air Temples and he realised, like a shock to the heart, that he had already done just that.

"I had no idea that spirits would punish the Avatar," Hakoda said at last. "I guess I always imagined it would be the other way round."

Aang looked back at his companion, frowning. "I'm part of the balance between the two worlds, but the spirit world doesn't seem to need the Avatar quite like our does. I suppose, really, I'm just one amongst many."

Aang looked up as the University came into view, but he sensed that Hakoda had started to slow, and he looked back at him once more.

"Aang, I wanted to talk to you before I left," he said, his voice low. Aang winced again, and stopped. Hakoda shifted his feet, looking distractedly at their surroundings. They stood at the edge of the road by a large tree, fenced off from the pathway, the early morning sun casting a green light over them.

"Mostly, I wanted to apologise."

Aang blinked in surprise.

"The way I handled things, and the way I spoke to you, it wasn't right."

"Hakoda-"

"No, please let me finish," Hakoda shrugged the books high up his chest. "I was angry, and I was scared for my children. But I've know you a long time, and I shouldn't have even imagined that you would have willingly put them in danger." He sighed. "I realise that I was angry with you for something that you had no control over, and I'm ashamed that I never even considered how much those events had affected you."

Aang opened his mouth, but no words came to him. He looked at Hakoda, who turned his blue eyes to his."Whatever you're going through, whatever this-" he nodded to the books, "is about ... I'm sorry if my words had something to do with it."

Aang let out a long breath, unsure of what to say in return. Dumbly, he just nodded, and Hakoda smiled softly in return.

"Come on, let's get these back," he said, heading off to cross the road. After a pause, Aang followed.

Aang whistled nonchalantly as he walked past the guards when the pair of them returned to the house a while later. Momo was hiding down the front of his robe, and although the bulge was painfully obvious, the guards themselves seemed too humiliated to say anything after they let the Avatar walk away through their bickering. One of them pouted slightly, whilst his colleague nudged him in the arm.

"Don't tell anyone," he hissed pleadingly to Aang. Aang laughed.

"If you don't tell anyone about Momo I won't tell anyone that you let us walk away, how's that?" He asked, whilst Hakoda smirked.

The guard nodded and grumbled.

As Aang walked through the doors, he was surprised to see that everyone had already congregated back in the hall. Xing Ying and Yee-Li were sat at the table, and their eyes lit up as soon as they saw him.

"Where have you been?" Sokka asked, looking at the unlikely couple.

"Just for a walk," Hakoda said, with a shrug. Aang silently thanked him for not mentioning the mountain of books.

Momo jumped out from Aang's robes as soon as he closed the door, squeaking and chittering as he flew to the table, grabbing handfuls of the food that was laid out there for lunch.

"Did you smuggle Momo in here?" Zuko asked, crinkling his nose slightly at the gusto in which the lemur shoveled food into his mouth.

"Technically I think he smuggled himself," Aang laughed. "I had no choice in the matter."

"So, what is the plan, Avatar Aang?" Xing Ying asked, reaching over and giving Momo a scratch under his cheek. The little creature dropped his food and melted into her hand, purring.

"Well, once everyone's packed I guess we'll make a move," he replied. "But keep it light, Appa's already got enough of a load to carry this time round." He looked concerned for a moment.

"Does this mean I can't bring that giant bronze unagi statue back for Suki?" Sokka asked, gesturing to the ugly great sculpt that stood in the corner of the room.

"With the deepest of regrets I'm gonna have to say yes," Aang responded, shaking his head.

"It's ok, Sokka," Katara teased, "you can always sculpt her one yourself?"

"That's a great idea!" Sokka cried, then narrowed his eyes at his sister. "You're making fun of me, aren't you?"

"I wouldn't dream of it," Katara replied with a smirk, whilst Toph laughed.

"I guess I'll go and get Appa saddled up and we can make a move," Aang replied. He turned to Zuko. "Though I imagine he'll need quite a rest in the Fire Nation before going to the Air Temples-"

"Can we come?!"

Xing Ying blushed furiously as the group looked round at her.

"Uh, I mean ... could we ... uh, go with you? You know, if that's ok?" Her faced burned bright and she slumped down into her chair whilst Yee-Li nudged her to be quiet.

Aang was taken back, but allowed himself to consider it. The Eastern Air Temple was perhaps the most spiritual of all of the Temples, and as a child he had been told of the vast library that could be found within one of the spires. Though part of him was sure that much, if not all, of the library would have been destroyed when the Fire Nation attacked, he hoped that he could still somehow learn of the true danger that he had been warned of. It had been his plan to go alone, but perhaps his students could help him find what he was looking for.

"You know what? Yes, I think that would be a great idea," Aang replied.

The Air Acolytes stared at him for a moment, their mouths wide.

"Really?" Yee-Li gasped. "We get to go to a real Air Temple?!"

"Don't get too excited, kids," Sokka said with a shrug. "They're mostly a bunch of old rocks."

"A bunch of old rocks is better than a load of snow," Toph replied.

"It's a little more than just a bunch of rocks," Aang assured the girls. "Ok, I will go a saddle up Appa." He paused at the door, looking back at them. "Pack _light_." His final statement was directed straight at Sokka, who grumbled and crossed his arms over his chest.

**A/N: I was planning to wait a bit to upload this but, well, I was just too excited to wait. I can't promise I'll be this quick with all future chapters, mind, but I'll be doing my best ;)**

**Thank you, loyal readers, your reviews so far have been greatly appreciated!**


	7. Chapter 7

General Mamoru had been the first to express her displeasure when they had all stood before Appa. Though the bison had bore more passengers in the past, never before had he been expected to carry them so far. Aang had felt dread in his stomach when he finally saw all that his beloved friend would be carrying, and the General's scoffs and exclamations had only cemented his fears.

In the end, Hakoda had suggested that he take his ship back after all, rather than the airship that Zuko had offered to him. The journey would take considerably longer for him and the few of his men that had joined he and Katara during their travel to Ba Sing Se, but he couldn't hide his concern at how well the bison could handle all these people. His daughter-in-law was having a difficult pregnancy, and he and Sokka agreed that they couldn't risk Appa getting exhausted half way through and them being stranded. Aang had breathed an audible sigh of relief, patting Appa on the back who had let out his own expression of relief.

And so, after some emotional goodbyes from the Water Tribe family, Hakoda had left for his ship, and the remaining eight companions had loaded much of their supplies onto the small five man airship, with Aang and the Air Acolytes riding on Appa.

Despite Appa only holding three people plus a little luggage it became obvious that flying out over the Si Wong Desert really took a huge toll on him. Appa was growing more uneasy and dropping more altitude as each hour passed. They continued like this for a couple of days, traveling at night and sleeping during the day under whatever shelter Aang and Toph could pull up for them, but even under the cool of the night the memories that plagued the bison were becoming more than he could handle. Their journey slowed, having to take much more frequent breaks to give Appa a chance to rest. If anyone was irritated by the stops, though, they didn't show it, and for that Aang was thankful.

Aang himself was struggling throughout the trip. Each day he would feign sleep, or opt to sit on lookout whilst the others rested. Sometimes he would slip into a short nap, but he was sure to keep himself seated upright so that when his head dropped he would wake with a start. He knew if he allowed himself to fall asleep like the others the nightmare would come, and he couldn't let anyone know what he was going through each night. Mentally he could refresh himself via meditation, but physically his body ached, his movement sluggish. Everyone noticed, of that he was sure, but no one spoke of it. In time they made it through the Desert, and Appa put on a burst of speed that the small airship struggled to keep up with. Aang laughed and whooped as Appa flew in circles displaying his joy in being free of a place that haunted him. Their companions had laughed too, their hearts temporarily warmed by the happiness in the eyes of the Avatar and his old friend. Appa had flown on right through the day after that, eager to get away from the horrid place behind him, and after they had been able to satisfy their body clocks and sleep once more throughout the night.

Despite the General's original perturbations it turned out that she was quite a good story teller, and each night whilst everyone sat close around the fire she would share tales of her time as a soldier in the Fire Nation army. She had been stationed under General Zhao for some time, something that left all those other than Zuko somewhat nervous at first, but they soon learned that Mamoru had had an eye for mischief, and that her respect for the man had been slim. Zuko had interjected at that point that his reason for putting Mamoru in charge of his protection, and that of his people, was because of her deep rooted hatred of all that the Fire Nation had been. She had grown up in one of the Colonies, and had many Earth Kingdom friends as a child, and when she was shipped back to the Fire Nation she held onto those friendships, being a rebel from the inside. The group had listened, mouths agape, and she recounted how she had been imprisoned as a traitor at Boiling Rock when she refused to burn down the home of an Earth Kingdom family. She also mentioned, with a twinkle in her eye, how she had seen the Fire Prince and a brave couple escape not long after she had arrived there. Sokka and Zuko had smiled at the memory, no doubt thinking of their wives back at the Fire Nation who had aided with that escape.

Two weeks passed in this manner, and once they had left the Si Wong Desert their journey became much easier. Aang fed off the new positive attitude of his companions, trying to remain light hearted himself, but truthfully two weeks of not getting more than two or three hours sleep a night was having a huge impact on him. One night, as he pretended to sleep, he caught Zuko and Katara mumbling between one another, his name being dropped a couple times, and he found himself wondering quite how much they knew.

As they drew closer to Yu Dao, the group decided to take another rest. After dropping Toph off at her Metalbending Academy they knew that they would be continuing their journey oversea, where there wouldn't be a chance for Appa to recuperate, and so for his sake they settled in a small clearing in the center of a forest. The bison and his little lemur companion fell asleep immediately, and Aang rested his back against Appa's fur. The group shared words for an hour, before slowly everyone began to fall asleep, Aang offering once more to go in the first watch.

He sat, his knees pulled up under his chin, his arm hanging at his side as he drew squiggles in the dirt with his fingers. His body ached, even his breathing felt somewhat labored, and he desperately wanted to sleep. But he knew it wasn't long before they would reach the Palace, where a familiar bed would be waiting for him, behind walls and a door to keep his nightmares hidden from his friends. With a small sigh he looked up at them, sat around him. Most of them were buried under their sleeping bags, their faces invisible, but Sokka lay on his back, his mouth wide and snoring. He chuckled slightly, knowing that no matter how much older they got, some things never changed. At that thought, his eyes were drawn to the sleeping form of Katara. The pair hadn't spoken much the entire journey, except when it was necessary. They had kept their tone friendly, but the strain between them left his heart shattered into a million pieces. He wish he knew exactly where it had gone wrong for them, when she had stopped loving him. She lay on her side, that familiar curl of hair lying over her nose, fluttering gently. No matter how she spurned him, no matter how far away from him she drew herself, no matter how many arguments, he couldn't stop loving that perfect face, her soft aromatic hair, and her musical laugh. Not even six months back she had pulled him from the darkness that Tonrar had installed in him, and they had made love for the first time. Their love for each other had felt stronger than anything, immortal, and now he wondered if she could even remember what it had felt like. He loved her, every tiny little thing, and as much as he wished the pain would stop he knew he would be in love with her until the day he died.

He felt a hand on his shoulder and jumped, looking up to see Toph standing beside him.

"Walk with me," she said, her voice firm, and she headed off into the treeline. Aang hesitated for a second, glancing back at his friends, before standing and following her.

They walked for a good two or three minutes, Toph leading them deeper into the brush and Aang wondered why she would be leading them so far out unless it was so that they could not be overheard. He felt more apprehensive by the second.

In time, Toph stopped, stomping on the ground and rising a long ridge of earth that she sat down on, indicating that Aang did the same. He hesitated once more before sitting, looking at her curiously.

She cracked her knuckles, took a deep breath, and turned to him. "Ok, Twinkletoes, what's the deal?"

He blinked. "Uh, deal?"

"Don't play dumb with me, you know it won't work," she snapped, waving her arm. "With you and Sugar Queen. Everyone wants to know but they're all too chicken to ask. Me? I'm not sure I care that much but you have no idea how annoying it is to feel you two acting like this."

Aang looked surprise, sliding back away from her so he could face her. "We broke up," he said, his throat tightened. "That's all there is to it."

Toph sighed. "Ok, I'm going to lay it out to you real simple. This is a once in a lifetime offer, Twinkletoes. I am here, right now, ears open and ready to talk to you about this, if you need someone."

Aang was taken back but, honestly, he was moved by her concern.

"You know I don't do this touchy feely crap, but if I have to lay awake one more night feeling you swoon over her I may have to kick both your asses."

To anyone else this would have been considered an aggressive statement, but Aang knew Toph perhaps better than anyone else did, and it touched him that she felt this way. He paused for a moment, thinking things over in his head, before finally submitting himself to speech.

"I kinda don't know what happened," he admitted, looking down at his hands, though knowing that it wouldn't shield his emotions from her like it would if he were speaking to anyone else. "Things were good ... I thought she was happy. But then all that happened in the South Pole and, well, she just stopped talking to me."

He paused, wondering if Toph was going to speak, but she just sat back, waving her hand in a gesture to continue.

"I was confused too. Hakoda didn't want me near her, he made that painfully clear, but I couldn't shut her out from my life ... she _is_ my life." He looked up at Toph. "I hadn't realised how pathetic that sounded until now."

Toph shrugged, twirling her hand. Go on.

"I think she blames me for Kanna and Pakku's death ... she won't say it out loud, she could never do that, but she blames me." A horrible realisation came to him. "She lost her mother because I disappeared for one hundred years and the Fire Nation attacked." He groaned out loud, letting his head drop into his hands. "She must hate me."

Toph seemed to feel a spark of sympathy for him, because she spoke. "She doesn't hate you."

Aang glanced across at her and her blank expression. "But she blames me. I guess me not telling her why I was dragged into the Spirit World that night was the last straw ... A week later she told me that she needed time away from me to think and, well. That was it."

The pair were silent for a while, before Toph took a deep breath, letting it out through pursed lips. "You really have to talk to her about this," she said finally. "I mean, am I still somewhat pissed that you tried to kill us? Sure. But I don't hate you and I don't hold any of it against you. Katara pulled you back each time, she defended you when Sokka and I doubted you. She wanted to defeat Tonrar to get you back, to stop him from hurting you, that was all that mattered to her."

Aang looked back down to his hands.

"She still loves you, despite what you think. I can feel the ridiculous way her heart beats when she looks at you."

"Really?" Aang dared to allow hope to colour his tone.

"Of course she does, you idiot," Toph slapped him across his bald head, and Aang yelped. "Why do you think she's always snapping at you?"

Aang blinked, rubbing his head. "Uh ... well, I thought generally when someone snaps at someone it's because they don't like them."

Toph sighed, shaking her head. "Oh, Twinkletoes."

"Huh?"

"Didn't anyone ever teach you about girls?" She asked with a chuckle.

In spite of himself, Aang thought back to the moments in his old bedroom, Katara screaming into his neck and the slow smile she'd give him afterwards. "I dunno, I think I did alright," he said with a shrug, his tone almost dreamy.

Toph cackled, a loud high laugh that had her bending forward and clutching her stomach. Aang flushed as he looked at her, not entirely sure whether she was laughing at him or with him. She sat back, tears streaming down her cheeks, and sniffed loudly.

"That's not what I meant, but hey I'll take it," she said, shaking her head and wiping away the tears. "But, no offense, that part's the easy bit."

"Oh, and what would you know about that?" Aang asked, raising an eyebrow forgetting that she couldn't see. Suddenly, she blushed, her grin sliding off her face.

"Nothing," she said quickly.

"Are you blushing?"

"I'm not blushing!"

Aang leaned forward to get a better look at her face as she looked away from him. "You are!"

"Bugger off, Twinkletoes!"

"You're blushing," Aang smirked, this time punching her on the shoulder. "Spill."

"I ain't telling you nothing!" She snapped.

"That's a double negative," Aang said. "It was Satoru, wasn't it?"

Toph scoffed, a little too loudly, her face crimson. "Him?" She cried, her voice high. "As if!"

"You know, you're actually a terrible liar," Aang replied.

"If you tell anyone I will kill you," Toph grumbled.

"Hang on ... so, that time when we were waiting for you to finish in the mines? You guys were-?"

"Alright, let's drop it there!" Toph cried.

"And you have the gall to say me and Katara were putting us in danger?" Aang continued, laughing with the shock.

"I said let's drop it!" But there was a small smile on Toph's lips. She reached out to punch him hard on the shoulder, but he ducked and laughed. It felt good to laugh this hard again.

"Come on, let's head back," she said, standing up. "But dammit, Twinkletoes, talk to her!"

"Alright, alright," Aang sighed.

The pair walked back in companionable silence, Toph pushing his arm and he pushing hers. As they drew closer to the camp she sniggered quietly.

"Oh hey, who'd have thought you and Prissy Pants would be the last of us to get laid?" She said, her teeth glinting.

Aang pushed her back, hard, and she cackled once more.

~

The next morning Aang woke early, having managed a couple of hours sleep before his body woke him. He stretched and checked on Appa, who woke with a low groan in greeting. His grunts woke the rest of the group, aside from Sokka who had to be kicked by Toph before he would stir.

"Urmphersleeping," Sokka grumbled, waving his arm back at Toph.

"Wake up, Snoozles, I wanna get home already!" She replied.

"Can we at least have some breakfast first?" Zuko asked, rubbing his eyes with his fist and yawning widely.

"D'aww the Firelord wants his rice balls?" Toph mocked. "Tough! You can eat later! Get on the airship, lilly-lovers, hup hup hup!"

Even the Firelord couldn't deny her loud, sharp tones, and he jumped up, tripping on his sleeping bag as he did so. Aang tried to keep his face straight, but couldn't help but bursting into laughter at the scene before him. Zuko threw him a piercing glare.

"Well, I'm glad you're feeling better," he muttered.

"Let's have some breakfast, Toph, and we'll go," Aang said, still chuckling.

"Oh, how like you to side with the weak," Toph snapped.

Once everyone had finished breakfast Toph began to herd everyone onto the airship, before grabbing Sokka and Katara by the sleeves and leading them over to Appa. Aang knew there was a reason that Toph would insist that Katara be on the bison with them, and groaned internally at Toph's forwardness. Regardless, the Water Tribe siblings climbed onto Appa without hesitation, and Toph propelled herself onto the saddle with a kick of earth from the ground. With a yip yip Appa took to the sky, and the group continued north towards Yu Dao.

It took them just under two hours to reach the old City, and Aang looked down somewhat guiltily at the place he and Zuko had hoped would become the center of their new republic. It looked as though rebuilding was well under way on the County Halls, though he couldn't see any sign that the Mayor's old home had had any work done to it. Forcing his eyes away they continued over the ridge towards the prominent hill upon which the Beifong Metalbending Academy stood. Toph took a deep sniff of the air, before letting it out with a satisfied smile.

"Finally!"

Appa landed in the courtyard area outside, the airship gently lowering a bit further back. Toph jumped from the bison, falling to the ground, her arms stretched wide as if hugging.

"Ah familiar earth!" She said.

"Are you sure you're alright if we just leave?" Sokka asked, looking guilty.

"Don't kid yourself, Snoozles, I won't miss you a bit," she said dismissively. Then suddenly she looked up to the door as a familiar figure came out of the door.

"Satoru, long time no see!" Sokka cried, sliding down from Appa. "What are you doing here?"

"Oh, I asked him to help with a bit of a rebuild I want done on the Academy," Toph replied, a little too quickly.

Aang jumped gracefully from Appa, grinning at the man, who grinned in return, though looking a little sheepish.

"Oh, hey, Satoru!" Aang said. "Look Toph, it's Satoru."

"I know," Toph deadpanned, although a muscle began to twitch under one of her eyes.

"I didn't expect to see you here," Aang continued jovially to the engineer, who's eyes began to sparkle with alarm.

"Uh, yeh," he replied, running his hand through his thick curly hair. "I'm ... good with buildings, you see! Like ... making them better."

"I'm sure you are," Aang agreed with a nod. He felt Katara throwing him a curious look. "But anyway, we'd love to hang around but we have a pregnant lady to go see and you two have your ... building and all that."

He saw Toph grinding her teeth, rubbing her knuckles in her fist.

"So ... you don't mind then?" Sokka asked again, climbing back onto the bison.

"By all means fly on out of here," Toph replied.

"We're not far," Katara said, putting a hand on Toph's arm. "So let us know if you need anything, ok?"

"I'm sure I'll be fine, Sugar Queen," the smaller girl replied.

With one last glance back at Toph and Satoru, Katara eased herself back into the saddle beside her brother.

"We'll see you soon, alright?" Aang said, jumping back onto Appa's head.

"Maybe not too soon," Toph smiled between gritted teeth.

"Have fun," Aang said in a sing song voice, before yip yipping Appa into action.

"I'm gonna kill you," Toph replied, low enough so that only he could here, her voice taking on the same sing song quality.

Sokka and Katara waved back at their friend as they flew off, before Sokka turned back forward, his brow furrowed and his finger to his chin.

"Whoa!" He cried suddenly, his eyes wide. "Oh hey, guys, you don't think Toph and Satoru are .. you know?"

Aang just laughed.


	8. Chapter 8

The groups arrival at the Capital was signaled by a series of horns, hailing the return of the Firelord to his home. As they flew over the City towards the Palace groups of civilians would stop and cheer for their benevolent new leader, and though Zuko was a little pink round the cheeks, the pride sat clear on his lips as he smiled down at them. There were still some who opposed his rule, Aang supposed there always would be, but in the past five years Zuko's popularity had only grown, and he continued to lead his Nation down both a moral and profitable path had certainly proven his worth to most.

The Palace drew closer, and Sokka clambered to the front of Appa's saddle, his eager eyes fixed on the courtyard outside, hoping to see his wife smiling up at him. Mai and some of the guards had come forward, having heard the horns announce her husband's arrival, though Suki was not to be seen. Aang cast a glance back to his friend, whose face was a picture of worry, and gently reached across to squeeze his shoulder. Sokka swallowed and nodded stiffly.

They landed just after Zuko's small airship, and Appa let out a contented grunt as he was finally able to rest on solid ground. Some of Zuko's workers came forward to take over the airship as the Firelord jumped from the craft, hurrying across the courtyard to his wife who stood, an actual smile on her face, as their daughter sat in her arms. Aang and the others came forward, Appa and Momo being led to the comfortable stable set up ready for them, and Aang couldn't help but grin at the happiness on his friends face as he tickled his daughters chin.

"You were back much quicker than I thought you would be," Mai said. "Not that I'm complaining."

Zuko took his daughter from her arms, and Meiya chirruped and bubbled at him as he kissed her forehead.

Sokka stepped forward, actually wringing his hands with worry. "How is she?"

"She's ok," Mai replied. "The baby is still sitting funny, and the midwife wants her to rest for the remainder of the pregnancy, but she's ok."

Sokka didn't look particularly comforted by her words.

"Come on, I'll take you to her," Mai said softly, gesturing with a thin arm.

The group followed her into the Palace, Mamoru having already broken off to speak to the guards under her charge. Sokka followed close at Mai's heel, concern furrowing his brow, and the others remained close behind. They walked down a number of corridors until they reached Suki's room, just off to the side of one of the large balconies that looked over the Capital. Aang held back slightly as Mai knocked on the door, knowing that Sokka would want to be the first to see her, but the look on his friends face as the door opened sent shivers down his spine.

"Suki!" Sokka cried, his voice weak as he pushed past Mai into the room. They heard Suki all but squeal his name in return. Aang glanced at Katara, who stood in the doorway, her expression grim and her jaw set. His stomach dropped further.

"Shh, Sokka I'm ok," Suki said, her voice light and he heard soft sobs from Sokka. Mai held back, taking Zuko's hand, and the pair stepped back so Katara and Aang could enter the room.

Suki lay in a bed, her back propped up by a pile of red silk cushions that contrasted horrible against her somewhat sickly toned skin. There were bags under her eyes, and there was pain etched across her face, but there was a broad smile as she looked upon her husband standing beside her, holding her hand tight. Katara wandered over, crouching the other side of her and taking her other hand.

"Suki," she said, her voice hushed. "How are you?"

"Oh, I'm fine," Suki said with a laugh, though she winced as she did so.

"Suki," Katara said, her voice tipped with warning. Suki sighed.

"Ok, it feels like I have Toph in my womb to be honest," she replied, though still she managed to hold her smile. "She sat normally for a few weeks, but then decided she wanted to turn round again. And she just doesn't ... stop ... kicking me." She grimaced as the unborn baby within her started to kick again.

"Suki, I'm so sorry," Sokka said, his eyes glassy as he pushed hair back from her clammy forehead. "This is all my fault."

"Sokka what are-" she winced again, "you talking about?" She chuckled. "Sure she's a pain in the butt ... but it'll be worth it in the end."

Aang was more than taken back by how positive Suki was remaining despite looking so utterly exhausted, and felt a pang of guilt when he thought back to how irritable he had been without sleep.

"Aang stop creeping in the doorway," Suki said suddenly, nodding her head to gesture him in.

"Do you mind if I have a look?" Katara asked, pulling some water from her hip flask.

"Be my guest," Suki shrugged. "Although the healer here has already had a look."

"No healer's as good as my sister," Sokka piped up, his voice full of pride. "Maybe the other one missed something."

"There's nothing to miss, babe," Suki replied, rolling her eyes. Regardless Katara pulled back the cover to reveal Suki's swollen stomach under her night dress, and placed her hands on her as they began to glow. Suki turned to Aang, her eyes suddenly sparkling.

"How did it go?" She asked. "I'm so gutted I couldn't be there. Who did Keui bring?"

"It went well," Aang replied, grinning to keep the mood positive. He seated himself on the floor beside her, pulling his knees to his chest. "The leaders have gone back to speak to each of their people and, hopefully, towards the end of the year we can have the official vote!"

"That's great news, I thought you guys were back early."

Sokka watched his wife with sullen eyes, gently stroking the back of her hand. Aang could see Suki keeping her gaze averted from him, trying hard not to let him see every wince she made as the baby moved.

"Keui brought General How, which we expected, but also King Bumi. I must admit, I was surprised, I didn't think Keui and Bumi had any sort of relationship."

"I'm guessing you want Bumi on the council?" Suki asked, with a slight smirk.

"Over How? You bet I do," Aang replied, rolling his eyes at the memory of the old General.

Katara cleared her throat slightly, indicating that she had finished. Sokka, somewhat irritated by the small talk at a time like this, turned to his sister, his eyes wide.

"Well, she's healthy," Katara said with a smile. "But she's lying completely across you. Your pelvis has separated, which isn't in itself unusual, but she's a big baby and each time she kicks she's making it worse."

"Is there any way to turn her?" Sokka asked.

"We've tried all that," Suki said with a sigh. "I'm glad you never saw it ... trying to stand on my head with the nurses help. But it hurts too much for me to try any more. There's still thirteen weeks left yet, she'll turn back round eventually. Try not to worry so much, Sokka."

It was clear from Sokka's face that worry was the only thing on his mind. He across at his wife, taking her hand again and stroking her palm. Aang climbed back to his feet, sensing that it was time the pair had some time to themselves. He gently put his hand on Katara's shoulder, ignoring the belly flips as he did so, and cocked his head towards the door. She let out a resigned sigh, then pulled Suki's blankets up to her chest.

"If you need anything let me know, ok?" She said, a gentle smile on her face.

Suki nodded, smiling back, and Aang and Katara left the pair to their own companionship. Mai, Zuko and the Acolytes still stood outside, and Katara gently closed the door behind her.

"Is she ok?" Zuko asked, keeping his voice low.

"I think she'll be fine," Katara said, confidently. "Although I'd like to talk to her healer about something to manage the pain. There's something my Gran-Gran taught me to mix up when I was a little girl, I'm not sure the Northern Tribes knew of it."

"Of course," Mai replied. There was a gentle coo and the group looked towards the little girl in Zuko's arms, who was smiling and waving her arms out at Aang.

"She's more excited to see you than me," Zuko said, though his voice was joking. He held out the little girl to Aang, who gently took her.

"That's coz I'm the fun uncle who catches fire," Aang said as she bubbled and cooed at him. "Which you found hilarious, didn't you, Meiya?"

"That was the first time she had laughed," Mai said, shaking her head.

"Come on," Zuko said. "Let's get back to the throne room and get something to eat. It won't be long before Mamoru is hounding me again."

The group followed, Aang blowing raspberries at Meiya as she giggled and squealed. He could sense Katara looked at him, and glanced across at her only to see her quickly avert her gaze and hurry ahead. Meiya pushed air through her lips, attempting her own raspberry but only succeeding with a very large spit bubble that popped loudly. Mai and Zuko glanced back at the noise.

"That was gross, but impressive," Aang said to her. "Hey, maybe she's a water bender too?" He added, looking up at his friends.

"At least she could put out the fires she's started," Mai said with a low laugh.

"She's started more?!" Zuko asked, alarmed. They saw a look of horror pass over his face, and Mai put a hand on his arm.

"It's not like that," she said. "The only time it happens is when she finds something particularly amusing. It's not like Azula, ok?"

Aang looked curiously between them, wondering what Azula had been like at Meiya's age.

"Is it still white?" He asked. Mai nodded.

"Her fire is white?" Katara interrupted. "What does that mean?"

"We don't know," Zuko replied. "There are old legends of fire benders who could produce a white flame, but no one alive, certainly, has ever seen it until now. It's a cool heat, too," he added.

"She's certainly special," Mai said, her tone both loving and exasperated.

Sure enough, once they had entered the throne room, General Mamoru was stood waiting for the Firelord and his companions to retur. There was a small click of the tongue from Mai, and Aang gave her Meiya back.

"I'm going to settle her down for a nap," she said to her husband before turning to skulk out of the room. Zuko shot her a guilty look, then turned back to his General expectantly.

"Take a seat," he said to her, and Aang, Katara and the Acolytes followed suit. Aang could tell that Xing Ying and Yee-Li were feeling more than a little awkward to suddenly find themselves seated in the Firelord's throne room, especially when Mamoru began speaking of official matters.

"The people are already expecting to hear of your travels, Firelord Zuko," Mamoru said, reaching forward and pouring herself a glass of water. "I think it would be wise to arrange a convocation in the next day or two."

"I had expected as such," Zuko agreed. "I had no plans to delay it, General, have no fears there."

Mamoru nodded, then glanced at Aang and the others.

"Perhaps it would be best if the next points were discussed in private with Fire Nation Council?" She said, keeping her voice level and respectful, though to Aang's ears it sounded much like an order. Zuko sighed and nodded, then turned to his friends.

"Sorry," he said. "But we can meet here for dinner around 9 this evening if that suits you?"

"Don't worry about it, Zuko," Aang said with a smile. "Your people come first here."

Zuko nodded gratefully then turned to the two guards that stood at the door.

"Lieutenant Dekho, would you be able to show Air Acolytes Xing Ying and Yee-Li to their rooms for the duration of their stay?"

Lieutenant Dekho, a young and handsome man with a long dark ponytail running down his back raised a fist to his palm and nodded. "Yes sir." He opened the door and waited for the Acolytes to follow. Xing Ying shot Aang a slightly concerned look, but he nodded at her.

"I'll catch up with you both once you're settled," he promised. And the pair followed. He also couldn't help but notice the slight blush on Yee-Li's face when the handsome guard bowed to her, and fought back a chuckle.

Aang and Katara stood to follow suit, Aang bowing his head at Zuko as he left, and he noted the tired look in the Firelord's eyes as he turned back to face his General, and suddenly realised again how desperately he wanted to close his own eyes and get more than just a couple of hours sleep. Absently he held the door open for Katara, who raised an eyebrow as if irritated by his act of chivalry and walked through. Soon, the pair found themselves in the drape clad hallway outside, alone for the first time if what must have been a couple of months.

Aang glanced at her, shifting uncomfortably, and she caught his gaze for just a second before looking away and rubbing her arm.

"Uh, do you-" he waved his arm slightly, realising that his ability to speak had become more than a little hindered by their new state of privacy. "Do you want to get some ... tea?" He finished lamely.

Katara blinked at him, a single delicate brow raising once more. "Uh, I need to go back to Suki," she replied. "You know, the pain management I mentioned?"

"Yeh!" Aang replied, feeling stupid. "Of course. I knew that." He felt heat rising to his face and quickly pointed down the hallway. "Uh, I'm going that way."

"Ok," Katara replied.

Aang turned, shoving his hands into his pockets, and walked off down the hallway, his face burning and silently cursing himself for his stupidity. _Talk to her_, Toph had said. _Yeh, right, as if it could ever be as easy as that now?_ With a sigh he decided to head towards the stables to check on Appa and Momo.

~

As the afternoon began to draw to a close Aang decided that he would take a walk around the Palace. Appa and Momo had settled down into a large feast of nuts and berries which had been provided for them and had since given the human sat with them little of their attention. Whilst it was still some time before they would be expected back in the throne room, being as tired as he was he knew that if he slept now he would only miss it. It had been some time since he had been able to enjoy the beautiful courtyard garden found in the center of the Palace, and although he knew it wouldn't be quite as peaceful as when he and Katara would sit and enjoy the quiet of it all, he felt the sound of the wind swirling through the foliage would calm him at least a little.

Sure enough there was a light breeze as he entered the courtyard, and he took a deep breath as it hit his face. For the first time he found himself craving a sense of freedom that he had enjoyed when he was much younger, before he had even learned that he was the Avatar. As a child, when his lessons had been over, he and his friends had been able to bound into the breeze, their gliders spread, laughing as they let the currents pull them higher and higher around the Temples. As an air bender there was little more thrilling than seeing open skies above, and an entire landscape to enjoy and explore. With a sigh he looked back from the sky and at the small fruit trees that stood beside him. Truthfully, he felt that he would never experience those carefree feelings again.

He came across Xing Ying as he rounded a corner. She was stood in the small clearing by the pond, the old familiar oak reaching out over it, her arms stretched forward and her palms at a ninety degree angle. He saw her frown and shake her head, letting her arms drop to her side. In spite of himself, Aang leaned against the tree beside him out of sight, watching as she shook herself and took a deep breath.

She drew her right arm back behind her, her weight falling onto her right leg and set her jaw. Aang recognised the form immediately as one of the earlier forms he had been taught in his time at the Temple and felt a jolt to his stomach when he realised he'd not seen anyone other than himself use such a move in almost one hundred a twenty years. His interest was sparked. Twisting onto her left leg, she drew her right arm from behind her, curling her arm forward. Her wrist rose to her chin as she flicked her hand forward, pulling what would have been a ball of air towards her center as her left hand rose. Cradling the imaginary ball of air she dropped her left knee, leaning forwards and pushing the ball forward with her palms, using the force of her movement to propel outwards. If she had been an air bender, the ball of air would have flew forward, but Aang could see why she was unsatisfied and scowled again, dropping her arms back to her sides.

"You have to use your left hand to guide the air as well," Aang said, stepping away from the tree. She visibly jumped, looking round to see he had been watching her, and blushed brightly.

"I'm so sorry, Avatar Aang," she said quickly, her hands clasped to her side and looking down. "I know your culture isn't a game, it's not my place."

Aang smiled at her, a little bemused. "Don't be silly, Xing Ying. It's nice to see the forms being practiced, to be completely honest with you."

She looked up at him, rubbing her arm. "No, it is silly," she said with a sigh. "I can't air bend, there's no need for me to learn the forms. Yee-Li thinks it's silly too," she added glumly.

"Where is Yee-Li?" Aang asked, looking around. Suddenly Xing Ying scoffed.

"A certain Lieutenant Dekho is giving her a tour of the Palace," she replied, stifling a sigh.

"Zuko's going to be thrilled," Aang said, laughing. He looked back at her, biting his lip in thought. "Xing Ying, it's not silly. Not even close. It means a lot to me that there's someone else who wants to keep these forms alive."

Xing Ying hesitated for a moment, shuffling one of her feet in the ground. "Would-" she paused again. "Would you show me how to do it right?"

If Aang was taken back, he didn't show it. He smiled at her once more and nodded. A grin of relief brightened her face.

"Ok," Aang took the stance, his arm back and his weight on his right leg. "Air bending is different from bending the other elements. You don't control the air, like with water bending, and you can't command it like you would with earth bending. The air around us is already in motion, it has it's own rules and it's own path, and all that we can do is guide it along a different one. The forms are all about creating a path for the air to flow through around your body and between your hands, a path completely free from obstruction."

He pulled his arm forwards, curling it under his chin as Xing Ying had done, his left arm staying motionless at his side until he raised it to push the ball of air forwards with his palms. The blast was weak, the air simply fizzling.

"I don't have to use my left hand to push the air forwards," he explained, standing straight. "But much of the air that I've gathered with my right arm simply dissipates. Now-" he got into position again, and she watched with wide eyed interest. "This time, I use my left hand to gather the air as I pull it forward with my right-" his left hand raised from his waist, palm up and curling inwards as his right wrist rose to meet his chin. "The air is now contained within my arms and then-" he leaned onto his left knee, pushing forward with his palms as a strong ball of air blasted away from him. Xing Ying gasped.

"That was much stronger!"

"As an air bender you can feel the push and pull of the element between your hands," Aang explained. "You will have to imagine it, which will be harder. But just see the air as a ball. If you don't support the bottom of it with your left hand it'll just drop."

Xing Ying nodded, her eyes bright with anticipation.

"Ok, you're turn," Aang said, crossing his arms across his chest, feeling it well with the joy of teaching.

Xing Ying shook her long hair back over her shoulder and took position. Aang watched as she took a deep breath, just as she had the last time, and remembered how he had done the same when he had first started to learn the forms. She curled her arm from behind her, raising her left hand to curl the imaginary ball of air between her hands before pushing it forward. She looked pleased with herself, looking back at him expectantly.

"Was that better?"

"Much better," Aang agreed. "You're getting the correct roll of motion with your right hand, but your left is still looking a little rigid. Here-"

He walked up behind her, holding his hands forward gesturing that she put hers in his. He took the back of her hands, and replicated the motion of curling her left under her right to curl the air into the ball. If he had been paying attention he would have noticed the deep blush on his students face as his breath absently brushed against neck, and the way her pulse quickened.

"Does that feel better?" He asked, and she nodded quickly. "Right, one more time." He stood back, crossing his arms once more and she went through the form, this time her left arm curling perfectly under her right. "That was excellent!"

Xing Ying beamed at him. He noted her face was flushed, though he figured it must be from her success with the form.

"Could you show me some more?" She asked, almost breathless.

"Of course!" Aang felt his tiredness swiftly vanish as the excitement of teaching air bending forms truly set in. He looked up at the sky. "We've got a while before we have to get back to the throne room, after all."

Xing Ying did a little jump and her smile only broadened.

~

Although the beatings of the Acolytes heart and the blushes on her face had gone un-noticed by the Avatar, a young water bender looked on, her jaw set. Katara stood, the herbs she had picked hanging slack in her hands as she spied him wrapping his arms around Xing Ying and directing her movements. She saw the deep blush on the girls cheeks, and the way her eyes stayed locked onto him as he demonstrated a few more air bending forms. She saw the joy in Aang's eyes as he was able to teach a part of his culture to a student so excited and willing to learn. Her heart ached in her chest, and in spite of herself she felt anger pooling in her stomach. Was it possible for Aang to move on so soon? She grabbed another handful of herbs and turned on her heel, fighting back a wave of tears that threatened to overcome her.

~

That evening, Aang could detect nothing but hostility towards him from the water bender. She cast him a dark glare each time he spoke and deliberately missed him when she poured the tea. Aang fought to keep his mood bright, but it was clear that everyone at the table had sensed this hostility too. Aang tried to keep himself occupied with his rice and vegetables, concentrating on Zuko's words as he discussed what he and his Council had discussed earlier that day, but the weight in his stomach was almost more than he could bear.

"So, have you decided when you're going to tell your people about the vote?" Aang asked, deliberately keeping his eyes fixed in Zuko's direction which happened to be the opposite of Katara's.

"I will be making an official announcement tomorrow night," he replied. "In a month's time we will introduce each of the candidates to the people, which gives Uncle a chance to finish up and travel here. After that, it's a case of the civilians getting to know each of their representatives through individual campaigns until all over Nations are ready to put it to a vote." He turned to Aang.

"I know you want to get to the Air Temples," he said, "but I would appreciate it if the Avatar could be present for the introductions."

Aang dropped his spoon, considering. "I'm not sure," he said finally. "Even if I left tomorrow I don't think I could get back in time from the Eastern Air Temple, but there's not much for me to do here in a month."

"Is the Air Temple so urgent?" Sokka asked, his mouth full of food. Aang hesitated. It was important, but he couldn't tell them that without worrying them. His need to travel to the Eastern Air Temple stemmed from the growing urgency to know what his dreams were about, and what Koh had tried to warn him about, and he knew he had already wasted much more time than he should have. Eventually he sighed, realising that he would have to be honest.

"Yes," he replied.

Sokka and Zuko raised eyebrows at each other.

"I'm presuming you're not going to share why?" Sokka chided.

Aang winced, sensing another dark glare from Katara. "No," he admitted.

"Aang, ever the man of mystery," Sokka replied, rolling his eyes and turning back to his food, which he shoveled into his mouth.

"I had planned to leave in a week," Aang explained, ignoring Sokka's comments. "Appa's done enough traveling for now, he deserves a good long rest."

"I understand," Zuko said, nodding his head. His face betrayed no emotion, but Aang could sense that his friend was growing more and more frustrated with the Avatar's secrecy. He hoped that, as the Firelord, Zuko at the least would understand that there were just some things that, if shared prematurely, could do much more harm than good.

The rest of the meal continued in comparative silence, with Sokka breaking off early to go and see Suki. At one point Mai took off and returned with little Meiya, who seemed eager to join the company of her parents and their friends, and Xing Ying was able to hold her for the first time.

"You're good with her," Mai said, as the Acolyte tickled the infants nose. Yee-Li and Aang sat either side of her, though Yee-Li had scooted back, not feeling too comfortable around the gurgling miniature human. Xing Ying laughed.

"Well, that's what comes from being the oldest of seven," she replied. "I've had to raise most of my brothers and sisters."

"Seven?" Aang blinked.

"Surely your mother and father should have been raising them?" Mai said, her head cocked to the side. Xing Ying suddenly bristled.

"Yeh ..." she said, swallowing. "Well, I never had a father, and my mother was never very good at that sort of thing."

Mai frowned, though Aang noticed Zuko attempting to quiet her a glare that she ignored. "Step father, then?"

Xing Ying stiffened once more, turning her gaze back down to little Meiya. "No step father," she replied, quietly.

There was an awkward silence that followed her statement, and Mai mouthed for a few moments, completely unsure of how to respond before simply finishing lamely with an "oh." Xing Ying shrugged quickly, sitting Meiya up in her lap.

"All water under the bridge," she said with a forced cheerfulness. "But I still enjoy spending time with the little ones."

"Looks like she's enjoying your company too," Aang replied, his tone also cheerful, knowing that Xing Ying's past was something that the Acolyte was keen to keep hidden from her new friends. He scooted slightly closer to lean forward and take Meiya's hand, the little girl giggling as he made her wave at Xing Ying. Yee-Li pulled a face, but the Firelord and Lady laughed along with them.

Across the table, Katara's face paled as she watched the air bender and his Acolyte coo over the baby, looking for all the world like a young couple sitting lovingly around their new child. Aang and the others glanced up as they saw her stand from the table. Aang couldn't miss the broken look in her eyes, even as she forced a smile and excused herself from the table, and he watched her walk, a little too fast, towards the door. He glanced back at his friends, seeing that they were too immersed in Meiya's presence to really notice what had happened, and stood himself.

"I need to go and check on Appa and Momo," he said, making his excuses. The others nodded their goodnights as Aang turned tail and hurried through the doors.

He hurried down the hallway towards where his and Katara's usual rooms stood, side by side. For a moment he feared he wouldn't catch up with her before she locked herself away in her room, but he rounded a particularly well-decorated corner to see her walking towards her door.

"Katara!"

She froze, and a quick sniff and a raise of her arm made him aware that she had been crying.

"What is it, Aang?" She asked, her voice heavy though she kept her back turned to him.

Aang wanted to ask her to turn round, to face him so that he could confirm whether the tears would still be rolling down her cheeks. He wanted to step forward, wrap his arms around her and kiss her like he used to. He wanted to ask her if she would stay with him throughout the night, spend every second of it in her arms. But he couldn't. His heart hammered in his chest, and he gulped.

"What's wrong?" He asked, though winced afterwards when he realised that, of all the things he could have said at the point, this was probably the least helpful. Sure enough, he saw her body stiffen.

"Nothing's wrong," she snapped, still keeping her back to him.

"Katara," his throat felt tight. "Please talk to me. I can't stand you not talking to me."

She turned her head to her shoulder, as if considering her next move, then turned around to face him. He was almost knocked away by her beautiful eyes, still wet from tears yet sparkling in the firelight. His heart pounded in his chest and he wanted, needed, to hold her. Kiss her. Anything.

"I have nothing to talk to you about," she replied, her voice steady despite the obvious tears dropping from her jawline onto her chest.

He could feel his own tears threatening to rise and swallowed, shaking his head. "That's not true," he said. "Katara, I don't know what happened."

She stood silently, her eyes not leaving his, but the set of her jaw resolute, and her fhands curled into fists. He raised his arms, exasperated.

"Can you just say something?" He pleaded. "I don't understand any of this. We were happy, weren't we? What did I do to drive you away? To make you stop loving me?"

Her eyes widened at this last question, and fresh tears began to fall. "Don't," she snapped. "Don't do that. You were the one that drove this wedge between us, not me."

"What wedge? Katara, I never wanted anything to come between us." He looked at her, his eyes pleading and he searched her face for answers.

"But something did," Katara replied, her voice shaking. "And you let it."

Aang felt his heart sink to his stomach ... had she overheard after all? When Hakoda had told him to stay away from Katara he hadn't argued, although he had wanted to. In truth, he had known that Hakoda was right, that he had no right to put Katara or Sokka in danger for his sake. So he had kept her out, kept the nightmares and the horrors in his head a secret from her. He had wanted her to be safe, but she had drifted away, and now he was about to lose her and all he wanted to was to take it all back.

"Nothing to say?" She chided, a cold smirk playing across her lips. "But then that's not all that unusual for you lately, is it?"

He winced, looking down, his arms dropping to his sides. "Katara," he all but whispered. "I never meant to hurt you, I just wanted you to be safe-"

"Why are you here?" She interrupted.

He looked up sharply, meeting her defiant gaze as she angrily wiped the tears from cheeks with her wrist.

"This, us-" she gestured between them. "It's over. You don't need to be here, anymore."

Aang felt the blood rush to his head, his heart stopped beating and his world fell away. She turned on her heel, walking into her room and shutting the door behind her without a second glance back at him. The tears fell freely down Aangs cheeks as he stood, staring at the door that would forever separate him from her. Her words rang in his head, and it was as though he had fallen into nothingness. His feet somehow led him to his door, and his arms somehow managed to close it behind him. In a daze he felt his head hit his pillow, and as the tears threatened to drown him he fell into a fitful sleep. That night, the nightmare returned.


	9. Chapter 9

**A/N: This has been posted a bit earlier than normal, but all your stupidly nice and interesting reviews got me all a fluster so I thought I'd try and return the favour somehow! Thanks :D**

The nightmares only got worse as the week continued. Predictably, Aang had withdrawn from the rest of his friends. He had been present when Zuko had announced their plans for the republic and the representatives, but without so much as a word to the Firelord after he had stalked off. If Zuko had wanted to chase after Aang, he hadn't acted upon it, and had only watched his friend leave with a heavy heart.

Aang had all but pleaded for the week to go by quicker so that he could escape the Palace and find some sort of solace at the Eastern Air Temple. With the nightmares waking him each night, a new dark cackle following him to consciousness, he had felt his grasp on reality begin to slip. On the second day after their arrival Aang had thought he saw the figure of Innua, even more terrifying than he remembered, standing at the end of the corridor staring at him. He had hurried forward, clutching his glider, but all of a sudden her figure had vanished, and he found himself staring at a blank wall.

At length, the time had come for he, Xing Ying and Yee-Li to leave the Palace and travel to the Air Temples. That night the nightmares had plagued him, as they ever did, and when he woke, that high shrill laugh ringing in his ears, he all but flew from the bed. With a grunt he pulled himself up, but in his exhaustion he just rested his head and arms on his bed, letting his eyes drift shut.

"Dammit, Koh," he grumbled. "Where did you go?"

He wasn't aware how long he sat like that, his body crumpled beneath him as his head bravely remained propped on the bed. He wasn't sure that he fell asleep, more that his mind had shut down and time had flown by without his say so. He stared at his window, the drapes drawn shut, as the odd light from outside flickered through. Before long it seemed as though daylight was pouring in through the gap around the top of the fabric and, with effort, he dragged himself up onto his feet, only to find himself almost knocked down again from the cry that came from outside. He fell onto his bed in his hurry to pull back the drapes, and what he saw practically stunned him.

Even if it hadn't been the latter months of spring in the Fire Nation, and they were sitting in the middle of winter, the sight outside would have still been unusual. Aang gaped as large white snowflakes fell from the sky, landing on the thick blanket of snow that already covered much of the Palace and the rest of the Capital. He pushed himself back off the bed, quickly searching the pile of clothes on the floor for something to throw over his torso, and settled with a dark red Fire Nation top that he often forgot he had been given. He made to grab some robes to pull over himself to keep him warm, but another cry from outside urged him to abandon the attempt and hurry out the door.

He made his way to the Main Gates of the Palace, which he saw were already wide open. Zuko and Mai stood, still wearing night robes, staring out at the sight before them. A couple of the guards surrounding them commented on the snow, their disbelief clear from their tone. Aang hurried up to the pair, and they jumped at the sound of his bare feet pattering across the stone floor.

"Well," Zuko said, just as stunned as his guards. "There you have it. Snow in the Fire Nation."

"There's never been snow in the Fire Nation," Aang said, his voice low. "Never."

"There's a first time for everything, I guess," the Firelord replied with a shrug.

Aang couldn't take his eyes off the sight before him, especially as the wind began to pick up and the light flurry of snow outside began to thicken. Instinctively he knew that this wasn't right ... there was more to this than just a random snow storm. Then, as the snow began to fall harder, he saw a figure standing, a wide grin on her face. He grit his teeth, staring at the apparition of the Northern water bending Master as she waved at him. _She isn't there_, Aang assured himself. _You're just tired_. Yet still she stood there, indifferent to the storm growing around her.

"Aang?"

He jumped, looking back to see Zuko looking at him. He became aware of the Acolytes and the Water Tribe siblings standing behind him, and shivered, though he was certain the cold had little to do with it.

"I said, what do you make of this?" Zuko repeated, his head cocked slightly.

Aang looked back out into the rising blizzard, but Innua was no longer anywhere to be seen. "I don't know," he admitted.

"I'm guessing we won't be going to the Air Temple today then," Yee-Li piped up, shivering as some of the snow began to gust into the great hall.

"I guess not," Aang replied, his voice distant. He turned back to Zuko. "Zuko it's never snowed here. Ever. And it's almost summer. But it's snowing."

"And that was Aang with the weather report," said Sokka, yawning. "What's the big deal? It's just snow."

"But it doesn't snow in the Fire Nation," Aang repeated, rounding on him.

Sokka gestured to the blizzard outside. "Evidently, it does," he said with a shrug. "By the way you should totally close those doors."

Aang turned and hurried back across the hall.

"Where are you going?" Zuko called, but Aang was far too lost in his own thoughts to hear him as he rushed back to his room.

"I'm starting to get real tired of that kid," Sokka grumbled, shaking snow from his hair.

Back in his room Aang and shut the door behind him, not wanting to be disturbed. He grabbed the meditation beads that hung on the coat rack and pulled them over his head, letting them settle high on his chest. This had to have something to do with what Koh had been trying to warn him about before he had disappeared. He took a deep breath, and pressed his fists together, letting himself cross over into the Spirit World.

When he opened his eyes, he found himself on the same alter that he had arrived at numerous times before. Above him the decorated arch stood, ancient yet strong, and surrounding him was a shallow pool of water. He stood, his eyes adjusting to the new light.

"Not you again."

Aang looked across, seeing the familiar sight of the baboon spirit sat crossed legged on a rock not far from him.

"He's not back," the baboon said. "You're wasting your time. And mine," he added, opening a single eye to glare at him.

"There has to be someone I can talk to," Aang cried, raising his arms. "Koh tried to warn me about something, and now I think that something is happening. Someone must know!"

The baboon closed his eye and hummed loudly.

"Dammit, tell me who I can talk to and I'll never have to bother you again!"

The spirit scrunched his eyes shut, humming even louder to drown out the Avatar's voice.

"Stupid monkey," Aang hissed, before turning on his heal and marching towards the direction of Koh's lair.

If anything the place was creepier now that the Face Stealer was no where to be seen. The great tree that Koh would hole up in had begun to rot and wither, and Aang was surprised that he could now smell the stench of it. He coughed, covering his nose and mouth with his hands, and pressed forwards.

"Koh!" He called, trying to keep his face devoid of emotion on the off chance that the spirit was here after all. "Koh! We need to speak."

He creeped to the entrance of the hollow, the stench far greater as he peered inside. It was, as he had expected, as empty as it had been every other time he had visited. His shoulder slumped and he turned away from the tree, making his way back across the pinnacles that protruded as a pathway from the mist below.

Once he was across and back on solid ground, he felt a grumble of anger rise from his stomach, and with a snarl kicked at a rock on the ground, forgetting that in his corporeal form his foot would go straight through it.

"Having trouble there?"

If Aang had been in his solid human form no doubt all the colour would have drained from his face. But as he was, all he could do was look up sharply, his eyes wide and his mouth agape at the voice that flitted through the thick fogs of the Spirit World.

"W-what?"

"I said-" the figure from which the voice came from dropped from her perch. "Having trouble there?"

"How are you here?" Aang demanded. "I'm imaging things again." In a somewhat childish effort he pressed his palms to his eyes, rubbing vigorously, before peering back over his hands. He jumped and clambered back when he saw Innua's attractive yet strangely terrifying face close to his.

"Sorry, Twinkletoes, but I really am here."

"How? Why?" Aang demanded.

"Same way you did," she replied with a shrug, leaning back against a branch. Her dreadlocked hair falling into her eyes so that only her red lipped grin could be seen. "And I'd also hazard to guess that I'm here for the same reasons you are, too."

"How can you cross into the Spirit World?" Aang asked, scowling. For a moment, Innua looked genuinely insulted.

"You're not the only one with any connection to the Spirit World," she snarled, flicking back her hair to give him a fierce glare. "I learned to cross over a long time ago, no doubt before you ever did," she added with a scoff.

Aang eyed her with unease and curiosity. "That means you have a spirit."

Innua's sharp brows raised. "Well, if that's what you want to call it." She crossed her arms across her chest.

"So what do you want?"

"As I said, I'm here for the same reasons as you. I'm looking for someone."

"Who?" Aang asked, tilted his head reservedly.

"Oh come now," Innua laughed. "Don't pretend like you don't know. I came to see the spirit that lives there-" she pointed towards the great rotting tree behind him. "But it would appear he's not in."

Aang frowned, stiffening and trying to hide his curiosity. "I don't know of the spirit that lives there," he lied, his voice as even as he could keep it.

Innua grinned widely, leaning away from the tree she had been lounging on, and took a couple steps towards him.

"Right," she almost purred. "You don't know him."

"Why are you looking for this spirit?" Aang asked, committing to his lie, despite her curl of her lips.

She considered him for a moment, looking him up and down, before sighing. "He took something of mine," she said simply.

In spite of himself, he felt his eyes widen. "Who?"

Innua giggled, the sound shrill and loud. "You give yourself up so easily," she said. She walked close to him, and although he couldn't truly feel her, he still shivered as she ran a pointed fingernail across his corporeal chest. "Not that I mind," she added. He stepped back from her.

"Who did he take?" Aang asked, abandoning himself to his growing curiosity.

Innua paused, her eyes darkening for a moment and her ferocious grin fading. "My father."

A silence fell over them, and Aang examined the expression on her face, both broken and resolute, and her saw her toothy grin return.

"So, where is Koh these days?" She asked, cocking her head to the side.

"Why are you really here, Innua?" Aang interjected, his voice low and calm. "You want me to believe that us entering the Spirit World at the same time and ending up at the same place is a coincidence?"

Innue sighed, and sat down, looking up at him. "You don't know where Koh is, do you?"

"No," Aang admitted.

"Shame," Innua replied. "There's a lot more I could have told you if you had."

Aang crouched down in front of her. "You're somehow involved in all of this," he said. "And you need to tell me why."

Innua continued to smile at him, shaking her head. "No, Twinkletoes," she said. "We have a great future, you and I. Let's not spoil the fun."

"Fun?" Aang snapped. He reached out to grab her shoulders without thinking, his hands passing straight through her. He gripped his fists, pulling his arms back to himself and shaking his head. "Innua, the world is in danger. You have no idea ..."

"The world is never in any danger," she interrupted. "People die, cities fall, and love is lost. But the world will keep spinning as it always has."

Aang frowned as she turned her face up to the sky.

"You know this better than most. As the Avatar, how many lovers, how many friends, how many children have you lost?" She looked back at him. "And you've forgotten each and every one of them, just as you will forget all of the people you hold dearest to you now. The cycle goes on."

"The Avatar Spirit continues," Aang replied, his tone hushed and shaky. "The human soul ... each new cycle there is a new soul. And when that soul passes ..." he paused, a strange feeling in his corporeal gut.

"It is doomed to walk the Spirit World for eternity," Innua finished. "That's the price you pay. You don't get to be reunited with your loved ones, your time in the Mortal World is all you get."

Aang shook his head, standing, unwilling to believe what she was saying. "Why are you telling me this?" He demanded.

"As I said, you and I have a great future ahead of us. Dream of me, won't you?"

She smiled and, before his eyes, she vanished. Aang stood, staring at the point where she had stood but seconds before, panic rising in his chest. Could any of what she said be true? Could she still just be toying with him? He found himself wondering just how much Innua had to do with Koh's disappearance ... perhaps it was she who the spirit had been trying to warn him of? With once last look towards the rotting flesh of the tree that was once home to one of the oldest spirits in the Spirit World, he touched the meditation beads upon his chest.

When he returned to the Mortal World he became aware of the sweat on his body, dripping down his temple. But he was cold, freezing in fact. He shivered, reaching back onto his bed and pulled the duvet down onto the floor around him. He had gone to the Spirit World to find answers and, as he had always done, had come back with only more questions. Innua's words swam in his head, and all that he could picture was Katara's bright eyes, swimming with tears and she walked away from him. He pulled his knees to his chest and sobbed. In time he felt an old familiar fatigue settle over him and, unbidden, he lay onto the floor, the duvet wrapped tight around him, and fell into a deep and, thankfully, dreamless sleep.

He wasn't sure what time it was when he woke, but he knew that he was still freezing. He looked out of the window to see the blizzard still raging and realised he'd have to face his friends, as he always did, with nothing to tell them. Shuddering in the cold, he reached around his room to find the warmest clothes he could find, in the end settling on pulling a dark long sleeve sweater, another Fire Nation gift, over his top, and wrapping his orange robes around his shoulders. With a sigh, he left his room and wandered down to the throne room, unsure as to whether he would find anyone there at all.

Zuko was sat alone upon his throne, pouring over a series of scrolls on his lap. Aang cleared his throat as he entered, and Zuko glanced up.

"Am I interrupting?" He asked, and Zuko shook his head, gesturing to the table before him. Aang walked forward, seating himself actually on the table so that he could get a better view of the Firelord. Zuko scowled at the scrolls, his eyes skimming the pages, before sighing and placing them on the floor.

"Everything ok?" Aang asked, shivering despite the warm fires around them.

Zuko rubbed his temples and groaned. "Everyone's panicking. For the most part it seems that anyone at the bottom of the hill towards the sea are completely snowed in, but there are still people trying to leave their homes to buy food. Despite announcements to stay in their home runners are still being hired to send messages, and we already have two in the infirmary."

"It doesn't look like it's going to stop any time soon," Aang replied. "People are going to need to get food at some point."

Zuko grunted at him. "We're working towards getting extra rations out to each home. The Water Tribes must deal with this all the time, but here everyone is treating it like the end of the world."

Aang felt his gut wrench at those words, flashes of his nightly nightmare coming to his minds eye. "Yeh ..."

"Did you, I dunno, work something out?" Zuko asked.

Aang absently picked at his nails, wondering how best to start.

"Aang?" Zuko asked, leaning forward to look at his friends face.

"I need to talk to you," Aang said finally. "Somewhere no one will overhear."

"No one will be outside," Zuko said jokingly, but at the flash in Aang's eyes he held up his hands hurriedly. "I was joking!"

Aang just shrugged.

"Ok, I know where we can go."

With a shiver Zuko drew his robe tighter around him and the pair made their way from the throne room into a neatly laid out office that stood no more than two doors down.

"This is Mamoru's office," Zuko explained. "She won't be back for a few hours, and trust me when I say no one would dare eavesdrop and risk her catching them!"

"I can imagine," Aang said, thinking of her stern face and no-nonsense attitude.

Zuko sat down on the General's chair whilst Aang walked over to the fireplace and lit it. It was funny, he didn't remember ever feeling this cold when he was in the South Pole.

"So do I finally get to hear what's been keeping the Avatar awake all these months?" Zuko asked, keeping his eyes focused on Aang. There was a guarded concern in his face, almost as if he wasn't sure if he wanted to hear this after all.

"I suppose you do," Aang replied with a sigh, falling into the chair on the opposite side of the desk.

"It's not good, is it?" Zuko muttered, his hand already pressed to his temple.

"Honestly? I still have no idea," Aang admitted. Zuko raised his brow, then clapped his hands together as if in resignation. He leaned forward under the desk pulling out a drawer and placing two small glasses on the table. He then pulled out a dark brown bottle and poured some of the contents into each of their glasses. The strong, warm smell hit Aang's nose instantly.

"I didn't imagine you as the drinking sort," Aang said, watching the Firelord screw back the lid and leave the bottle to the side of the desk.

"I'm not," Zuko admitted, with a shrug. "But this is what Mamoru calls the 'sod it all' fund, and today is feeling rather like that sort of day." Zuko raised his glass slightly to Aang and downed the contents, his expression remaining that of resignation. Aang followed suit, and was pleased to note that the heat hitting his throat was more than a little pleasant on this 'sod it all' kind of day.

"This tastes a hell of a lot better than what Hakoda gave me," Aang said, scrunching his nose at the memory. "By all accounts I was half certain he was trying to poison me."

Zuko chuckled. "You know, I wouldn't be surprised if he had been, either."

The pair sat in a comfortable silence for a moment before Aang took a deep breath.

"Ok, I know I don't really need to say this, but this stays between us for now, ok?"

Zuko nodded, dragging his finger across his chest in a cross.

"Uhh ok, where to start," Aang drummed his fingers on the table, suddenly more than a little nervous. "Well, I'm sure you remember how I was called into the Spirit World all those months ago in the throne room?"

Zuko nodded, pouring them each another glass.

"There's been a reason why I've not told any of you what happened. There's something coming, maybe it's already happening now, but it's something that I know only I can deal with."

"Literally?" Zuko asked. "Or morally?"

Aang paused for a moment, thinking. "Both," he said finally.

Zuko only nodded once more.

"A spirit called me into the Spirit World. I didn't know that the spirits had that sort of power, and I won't lie it's more than a little unsettling." He took a small swig of his drink. "The spirit was Koh."

Zuko's brows raised for just a second, before he composed himself. "The Face Stealer?"

"Yes." Aang had told Zuko of his journey into the Spirit World the night that he had kidnapped him from the Spirit Oasis, and of his encounter with this ancient and terrifying spirit. He frowned, drumming his fingers once more and he fought for the best explanation.

"Koh never explained how he could pull me in, but there was something different about him. Needless to say I was a little surprised to find myself standing before him when last thing I knew I had been in the Palace. He could have taken my face, but he didn't."

Zuko sat examining Aang's expression. The Avatar was staring at the table, his brow furrowed in frustration.

"For the longest time Koh never said anything ... I had to ask several times why he brought he there before he so much as moved. It was creepy," Aang admitted, glancing up at Zuko. "When he finally spoke he told me that he had taken something that didn't belong to him."

"Surely nothing he takes belongs to him," Zuko interrupted.

Aang shook his head. "That's not how he see's it. He steals faces as judgement, and as a punishment. To him, each face is just a twisted part of his own sense of justice and balance. Don't get me wrong, it's not right," Aang added as Zuko scoffed. "But as one of the oldest spirits he's part of the balance of this world."

"So, what did he steal?"

Aang visibly paled and shivered, even with the warmth of the fire pressing in on them. "He had Tonrar's face."

There was eery silence amongst them, and Zuko gaped a few times before finally finding his words. "But ... Tonrar's a spirit? Can he take spirit faces?"

"I didn't think he could," Aang admitted. "But he had. When Tonrar had been pulled back into the Spirit World by the lost spirits he had possessed he was trapped in one of his own prisons. Tonrar was the one who passed judgement on those that abandoned the Spirit World for the Mortal one, so it would seem that it fell to Koh to exact his own kind of justice on him. So, he took his face."

Aang downed the last of his drink, appreciating it's warmth.

"Koh told me that he was to be punished for taking the face of another spirit, but that through his punishment something much worse would happen."

"I'm guessing this is where it involves us?" Zuko asked.

"He said that there was a weakness between the walls of the Mortal World and the Spirit World, a point where the two worlds had begun to overlap, and if they're not pulled apart there can only be one world that survives."

Zuko's eyes widened, and he hurriedly dropped the bottle back on the table for fear that he would spill it.

"All because Koh took Tonrar's face?" He said, his voice hoarse. "Why can't Koh fix it?"

Aang shook his head. "No, the weakness was already there, something caused it. But-" he sighed. "I don't know any more than that. Koh was going to explain everything, I'm sure of it, but something interrupted us. Koh said that we were being stalked, that his 'hunter' had already found him. He sent me back to the Mortal World."

"You've been trying to find him, though?" Zuko said, more of a statement than a question.

"Yes," Aang sighed. "But I fear whoever was after Koh has already captured him, or worse. I've been searching for him across the Spirit World whenever I can, reading through any texts I can get my hand on pertaining to the Spirit World and the Mortal World. But I've found nothing. None of the spirits I've spoken to know where Koh is, and it seems that he alone was aware of this weakness between us."

Aang's head fell into his hands.

"I've failed again. I can't find anything, I can't find the weak spot, and I have no idea how I'm supposed to pull the worlds apart. Each night I see the world end and I have no idea how to stop it from happening."

He felt Zuko's hand on his shoulder and looked up. His friend was looking at him sternly, his jaw set and his eyes flashing.

"We'll fix this just as we've fixed everything else," he said firmly. "We've worked too hard for the world to just end."

Aang barked a laugh, shaking his head, almost in exasperation.

"I went to the Spirit World today," he said said. "Koh's home is rotting, and I think that's because he's truly gone. But ... there was someone else there."

"Hmm?"

"But I don't think I really saw her there," he continued, shaking his head. "I can't have done."

"Who are you talking about?" Zuko asked, cocking his head.

"Innua."

Zuko's brow raised and he took his hand from Aang's shoulder. "What?"

"Either she's involved in this, or she's just a figment of my imagination," Aang replied. "In the past week I've seen her twice around the Palace, and then she appears in the Spirit World. She was looking for Koh too."

"Aang that's ..." Zuko waved his hand, searching for words.

"Crazy?" Aang suggested. "Don't worry, the thought has already crossed my mind."

Zuko hesitated, swirling his glass.

"I received a hawk from the North Pole not two days ago. Innua and Hanh have already been presented to the Tribe as representatives to the council, they're both still there."

Aang frowned. Maybe he had imagined it? But would he be seeing her, of all people? Yet it had felt so real in the Spirit World ... he was certain she had been there.

"You haven't had a decent nights sleep for a long long time," Zuko said softly. "Don't think I didn't notice you staying awake for most of the journey here. You were worried about her intentions on the Council, and as you don't have a face to this danger your mind is substituting hers. It's classic displacement psychology."

"Displacement psychology?" Aang asked, raising an eyebrow. Zuko shrugged.

"Kinda like how I hunted you down instead of facing my father."

Aang sighed, rubbing his temples.

"I had hoped that I would find some answers at the Eastern Air Temple. But then the Fire Nation has it's first blizzard in recorded history and I'm stuck here."

"You think the blizzard has something to do with this 'weakness'?" Zuko queried, to which Aang nodded.

"I'm certain of it."

Zuko let out a puff of air, pressing his palms together as he leant on the table. Aang had been discouraged by how the Firelord had dismissed the idea of Innua actually being in the Spirit World, but he knew that she was involved in this. Somehow, in some way, she had something to do with what was happening.

"So how can I help?" Zuko asked, and Aang raised his head to see his friend looking him dead in the eye, determination across his face.

"Truthfully I don't think you can," Aang sighed. "I need to find Koh, or I need to find the one that destroyed him."

"What about this weakness?" Zuko persevered. "Surely there will be some clues that will show us where it is?"

Aang considered this, rubbing his bearded jawline. "Perhaps ..." He stood suddenly, walking towards the window at the back of the office and pushing the drapes back to look at the flurry of white and grey outside. "If this is to do with the two worlds colliding then it could be the first of many signs ... perhaps they themselves can lead us to the weakness. And to the one responsible for creating it."

"Like ... the center of the storm?" Zuko asked. Aang looked back at him, his eyes sparkling for an instant.

"Exactly like that."

Zuko faced him for a moment, though his eyes seemed to look straight through him, before nodding.

"Ok. We can do that."

Later that evening, after Aang had explained to Xing Ying and Yee-Li that they would have to stay in the Palace until the blizzard passed, he collapsed back in his bed. He had a small plate of food sat on the bed beside him where he had been serving himself some food to eat in the solitude of his room. He had told those that had asked that it had been because he had some reading to do, but the reality was that he couldn't bear to even be in the same room as Katara. Each time he saw her he felt a dead weight in his chest, his stomach sinking to his feet, and a numbness washing over him. He couldn't stand it, seeing her. She looked more beautiful than ever, her voice intoxicating, and it was driving him to madness. Whenever she entered a room he had no choice by to leave, and though he was sure everyone else noticed it, it was far too painful to be in her presence.

He picked at one of his vegetable rolls, suddenly not feeling very hungry. He loved her with every fiber of his being, and he knew deep down that he could never stop. How had he failed so badly? How could he lose the love of his life? How could they be facing the literal end of the world? A rumble of rage swell across his stomach and he grabbed the plate and threw it across the room, his chest heaving. He glared at the shattered plate and food, plastered against his door, then felt undeniable shame. Shame that he should react so childishly. Shame that he should have allowed all of this to happen in the first place. With a sigh he stood and, grabbing the bin that sat in the corner of his room, bent and gathered the pieces of china and vegetable into the pan.

It was as he dropped the bin back into the corner that he heard a tentative knock on his door. He paused for a moment, wondering what excuse he could fabricate for not answering it, but mentally scolded himself once more and opened the door.

Xing Ying stood in the doorway, looking apprehensive, and he blinked in surprise.

"Hi, Xing Ying," he said forcing a brightness to his voice. "What's up?"

She hesitated for a moment, and he saw her eyes dart nervously towards Katara's door, which stood not far from his own.

"Can I come in?"

Aang was taken back for a second. Despite Xing Ying and Yee-Li being worthy and keen Acolytes he couldn't say he really knew them on any real personal level. He supposed, grimly, that was just one more area where he had failed.

"Of course." He stepped back, allowing her to enter.

She walked past him then stood awkwardly in the middle of the room, her hands clasped at her front. Aang noted how her gaze was drawn momentarily to the smashed plate and food in the bin and wondered briefly whether he should find an explanation.

"You can sit down," he said, forcing a light laugh as he gestured to the bed. He then sat on the headboard, his bare feet resting on his pillow so that she would have more space. Of course, in doing so, he had missed the brief look of panic in her eyes as she realised she had been invited to sit on the Avatar's bed. Aang's bed.

"Uhh, thanks," she said, sitting down and looking considerably less than comfortable.

"So, what's up?" Aang asked, his hopefully convincing grin plastered on his face.

Xing Ying shifted uncomfortably, playing with the hem of her red sash.

"I'm really worried this is going to sound insane," Xing Ying replied.

Aang raised his brow, his curiosity spiking, and a genuine laugh lit his features. "It's snowing in the Fire Nation, what's a little more insanity going to hurt?"

Xing Ying smiled weakly, his fingers continuing the rumple her sash, then sighed.

"Ok. I think there's some sort of spirit watching us."

Aang grin dropped pretty sharpish and he stared at her blankly. "A spirit?"

"Like ... a woman. I keep seeing her, standing in the corners, even out in the snow. But whenever I try and get a second look she's gone."

Aang blinked at her, his heart suddenly racing. _Could she mean Innua? But if Xing Ying had seen her too then ... Maybe she was actually here in the Capital? Perhaps the Northern Water Tribe didn't think as warmly on the republic as they had insinuated. But she had been in the Spirit World. Did she really have something to do with Koh disappearing?_

"Sorry, I knew it would sound ridiculous," Xing Ying said, stirring him from his own inner monologues. Aang realised he had been frowning at her as the thoughts sped through his bran, and a deep blush had spread across her face. She stood to go but Aang reached forward and grabbed her shoulder.

"No no, wait," he said, slightly breathless. Xing Ying swallowed audibly. "You've definitely seen her?"

It was Xing Ying's turn to blink in surprise. "You've seen her too?"

"Yes," Aang replied, taking his hand from her shoulder. "In truth I thought I was imagining it. Could you make out any of her features? Any indication as to who she could be?"

Xing Ying shook her head, standing before him as he continued to perch on his headboard. "Could you?"

For a brief moment he considered telling her that it was Innua that he had seen, but instead he just shook his head.

"Should we ask if anyone else has seen anything?" She asked.

Aang rubbed his coarse chin, considering. The last thing he wanted to do was to give anyone reason to panic, but at the same time there was a very real possibility that Innua had somehow managed to find her way, un-noticed, into the Fire Nation, and Zuko had every right to know about this. Unless it was indeed a spirit that he and Xing Ying were seeing and he was simply imagining it to be the Northern Water Tribe girl.

"Not yet," he replied. "If there's a spirit here I should be able to speak with it."

Xing Ying nodded in agreement.

"Thank you for telling me, Xing Ying."

She smiled at him, her face still somewhat flushed, then hurried from his room. Aang watched her go, a little taken back by the speed with which she left his room, then raised his hand to his temple. He needed to speak to this spirit, or Innua, or whoever it was ... if anything, at least things couldn't get much weirder.


	10. Chapter 10

The Avatar was not a suspicious man, certainly not this particularly incarnation. However, he was certain that the event that occurred but three days after the blizzard began only came as a result of his belief that things weren't about to get much weird than they already had.

The blizzard itself had not let up. There had been no break in it's ferocity, and bending and non-bending citizens and guards alike were working twenty four seven to try and prevent the show fall from completely burying the Capital. Firelord Zuko had sent out airships full of as many supplies as the Capital could spare to the other towns and villages in his country, and was busy trying to organise relief aid from the Northern Water Tribes and the closest Earth Kingdom cities. It had proven more than difficult to get word out to anyone, with the hawks simply unable to weather the storm, with those few that had been sent in the first day of the blizzard returning less than a day later, their notes still tied to their legs.

Whilst searching for this illusive spirit that he and Xing Ying had both seen Aang had offered his assistance wherever he could. Alongside of the fire benders in the Firelord's Guard he would melt as much snow away as was possible from people's homes and the streets. As the only water benders in the entire of the Capital, he and Katara had been forced to work beside one another to clear the melted snow away before it froze in the horrific conditions. The commotion of the storm had made it impossibly for the pair to interact in any real verbal way, which honestly was to Aang's preference. It was hard enough fighting against his churning stomach and the pounding in his chest each time the pair got close enough to see each other through the flurry.

After one particularly crushing afternoon spent pushing back the elements, Aang, Katara and Sokka made their way back to the Palace. Though there wasn't much room for conversation, it was clear to Aang that Sokka found the scenario very awkward. He walked between the ex couple, glancing between them and occasionally floundering as he fought for something to say to break the figurative and, in this particularly scenario, literal ice between his two friends. They refused to meet each others eyes, Katara acting for all the world like the air bender wasn't even in her presence, whilst Aang made deliberate attempts to avoid any interaction with her whatsoever. For Sokka, the situation was become more than he could handle, especially as he couldn't understand what could possibly drive a couple like Aang and Katara, _the_ Aang and Katara, apart like this. And so, in silence, they scaled the freshly cleared walkway to the Palace Courtyard, noting glumly how quickly it seemed to be filling with snow again.

Once inside, the trio shivered and dusted or bent the show off their shoulders, pulling off their heavy layers of coats and robes that they had had to salvage from their existing clothing. The Fire Nation simply had no need for anything warmer than their usual robes, and so much of the population had been severely struggling to keep warm without sitting right up next to their fires.

"How can this blizzard be worse in the Fire Nation than that seven day polar night we had back in the South Pole? Hey, you remember the one, Katara? We all had to huddle up in the same igloo for days."

Katara just nodded at her brother. Sokka's shoulders fell and he shot her a deflated look before the three of them trudged towards the Throne Room where Zuko was no doubt to be found, bent over his paper work, his eyes twitching.

Sure enough, the Firelord looked up from his latest correspondence from one of the neighboring villages. Men on ostrich horses had been sent out with all the furs they could find to send messages back and forth since it had been proven that the messenger hawks simply weren't reliable enough. Zuko looked exhausted, having barely left his throne room in the past 24 hours, trying to keep on top of the situation. A reserved meal was already being set up for them on the long table that ran most of the length of the hall, as Zuko had insisted that everyone in the Palace eat the same amount of food that had been shared amongst his citizens. Sokka had complained endlessly about how hungry he was, but Aang knew that the gesture would be appreciated by those living in the increasingly buried homes at the bottom of the hill.

"No news from the Northern Water Tribe or Earth Kingdom yet?" Aang asked, taking his seat close to the throne, his tired limbs thankful of the soft cushion below him.

"Nothing," Zuko replied. "We're completely cut off from anything overseas, and I can't spare any of the airships right now."

"Appa and I can go," Aang said. He had broached the subject last night, though Zuko had seem more keen to keep Aang in the Capital. "I can bend the snow away, and bring some supplies back with me. Yu Dao may be willing to help yet, Zuko."

Zuko sighed. "But if it gets worse here we're going to need you." He looked up at his friend apologetically.

"I know, Zuko," Aang replied. "But it won't be long before you start to run low on supplies."

Zuko groaned, rubbing his fingers against his temples. "I know ... you're right."

"I'll leave tomorrow. And I'll be as quick as I can, Zuko," Aang assured.

"Be careful, Aang," Sokka said, glumly pushing his rice about his bowl, his heart not really into the coming joke. "Or someone might accuse Zuko of trying to pop the Avatar off again if you freeze to death."

"It's quite an elaborate assassination plot, I'll give you that, Zuko," Aang said with a broad grin, but Zuko merely grunted.

The four of them sat in silence whilst Katara made some tea. Aang felt the old familiar knotting of his stomach, and made ready to excuse himself. But it was then that they head raised voices outside, one of Zuko's guards asking in a panicked voice for the person storming towards the door to wait to be introduced. With wide eyes, each of them suddenly tense and ready to fall into defensive positions, they stared at the door before it was violently kicked open with a thud. There, in the doorway, stood a short figure, covered in snow and unrecognisable, whilst two pale faces guards flicked their eyes between it and the Firelord.

"This was the Fire Nation when I left it," came a irritated female voice, muffled by the hood pulled round her face. "What the hell happened?"

"Toph?" Katara said in disbelief, dropping her fists.

"Who else were you expecting?" She snarled, before shaking herself vigorously so the pile of snow collected on her coat fell to the floor. She pulled back her hood to reveal very pink cheeks and nose, her teeth visibly chattering.

"What are you doing here?" Sokka cried, taking in her appearance in alarm. Aang quickly jumped to his feet, igniting a flame in his hands and hurrying over to his freezing friend.

"I'm not in the mood for your chivalry, Twinkletoes," she snapped, pushing him away.

"I'll repeat," Sokka said. "What on earth are you doing here?"

Zuko nodded reassuringly at his guards who had tentatively moved from the room, taking their places outside of the door, and let the flames around the outside of the room burn brighter.

"Well, I thought I was getting away from the bad weather but, well, go figure," she said, shuffling up next to the flames to warm her unbelievably bare feet.

"Wait ... bad weather?" Aang asked, still hoovering nervously near her.

"Yeh, this weird blizzard hit Yu Dao a week ago not long after you guys left. I figured it had come from the North Pole, didn't expect the Fire Nation to actually be worse."

There was an uneasy silence amongst the companions.

"There's ... blizzards in the Earth Kingdom?" Aang repeated, his voice quiet.

"That's what I just said, ain't it?" Toph scoffed, before sighing with relief as the warm spread across her body and she was able to remove her somewhat sodden coat.

Aang glanced hurriedly at Zuko, who returned his somewhat panicked gaze. To his despair, he realised that Katara hadn't missed this exchange of concern.

"How did you get here?" Sokka asked.

Toph just shrugged.

"I got a lift off some nut who also thought it'd be warmer in the Fire Nation. Then managed to grab a ride with one of your supply ships."

"Where's Satoru?" Katara asked. "Didn't he come with you?"

Suddenly Toph cheeks blazed a deep red and she practically growled in response. "He's gone."

"Like ... gone gone?" Sokka asked with a gasp.

"No you dimwit!" Toph metal bended a spoon against his head, and Sokka yelped.

"You seem ... angrier than usual," Zuko noted, though regretted speaking when fire practically flew from Toph's nostrils.

"What happened?" Aang asked, feeling concern rise in his chest.

"Nothing," she spat in response. "No doubt he's back with his uncle now or whatever."

Aang felt an unfamiliar anger stir in his stomach as he looked upon his angry and visibly upset friend. He'd never known anyone to upset her this way.

"What did he do?" Aang demanded, them looking over surprised at the tone in his voice. Even Toph seemed to be taken back.

"Oh relax, Twinkletoes, nothing like that." She dropped the last of her over coat and robes in the floor, inducing another twitch of the eye from Zuko, and seated herself at the table, loading food onto her plate.

Sokka seemed just as concerned now. "You need me to pummel him?" He asked, smashing his fist into the palm of his hand.

Toph just barked with laughter, her features suddenly lightening. "What, you think I'd need help with that?"

Sokka shrugged sheepishly, whilst Aang came and took a seat beside the earth bender. Zuko dropped from his throne and came to join then, kicking some of his paper work aside. Toph groaned at her new audience.

"Look, I don't wanna talk about it, ok?"

"Toph, you know you can tell us?" Katara said softly, pouring the girl some tea.

Toph suddenly became rather subdued and shuffled awkwardly. "Ok, but I'm only telling you because I'm still real pissed about this."

"Ok, what happened?" Sokka pressed, and Katara rolled her eyes at his impatience.

"Ok, well ... heaskmarryhim," she mumbled quickly.

"What?" Sokka replied dumbly, twisting a finger in his ear. Toph sighed, her face bowed to the table, hiding behind her bangs.

"He asked me to marry him."

There was a stunned silence across the table.

"But ... isn't that ... a good thing?" Zuko offered, confused.

"A good thing?" Toph repeated.

"You seemed to really like him," Katara said.

Toph narrowed her eyes. "You didn't even know I was seeing him."

"It was pretty obvious," Katara shrugged. "I don't get it, why are you upset?"

Aang felt like interfering at this point, seeing the volcano of rage that was about to erupt on the unwitting water bender, but knew that Toph would rain down on him just as hard if he came to her defense.

"I don't like him ... that much," she replied through gritted teeth, holding back a punch.

Katara looked genuinely confused, as did Zuko. Sokka glanced across at Aang, clearly wondering if he was on the same page regarding the issues.

"But, if you didn't like him, why were you with him?" She asked, her head cocked to one side.

For a moment it seemed as though Toph would shy away from the truth of it, but she resolutely held her chin high and shrugged. "Because it was fun. That's all I was really interested in."

"Toph!" Katara cried, aghast. "That's vile!"

Toph laughed darkly. "Oh yeh? Ok, let's talk about how you waited until your wedding night, shall we?"

Katara blushed, her eyes busy looking anywhere but Aang. Sokka's face snapped to hers, then to Aang's, his face going red with anger. In that moment Aang would have gladly let the ground open him up and swallow him.

"So what did you say?" He asked, hurriedly, ignoring the way Sokka's eyes had begun to twitch.

Toph shifted. "Nothing."

"Toph!" Katara gasped again.

"That's cold," Aang mused. "Even for you."

"Well what was I supposed to do?" Toph snapped in return. "Say no?"

Aang narrowed his eyes. "Uh ... yeh?"

"What and watch him get all upset and act like a baby? No thank you."

"So ... you just left? Without telling him?" Aang pressed.

"Who's side are you on, anyway?"

"No side," Aang said quickly.

"I knew I didn't want to talk about this," she grumbled. "Ok, new rule, anyone mention this again will get one hell of a pummeling, alright?"

Katara had already been embarrassed into silence, Sokka was still fuming, Zuko seemed to know when to quit, and Aang figured that anything that got him away from this table soon was fine by him.

"You know, Toph, why don't you get some rest?" Zuko offered, his voice soft and comforting.

"Spirits, enough with the man gestures, I'm quite capable of taking care of myself," Toph said, climbing to her feet. "How Mai and Suki stand it I'll never know." And with that, Toph stalked out of the hall and turned in the direction of the chambers.

"Quite some week." The Firelord took to his feet and headed back to his throne and the pile of correspondence. "But I suppose at least now we know it's not just the Fire Nation dealing with these blizzards."

"I'm willing to bet the North Pole is dealing with it too," Aang murmured. "It could be everywhere."

"It'll pass," Sokka said confidently, though his teeth were still grinding as he looked at Aang. "Anyway-" he grabbed a bowlful of food and stood. "I'm going to check on Suki."

"I'll come, too," Katara said, standing. "Another healing session can't hurt."

Glumly Aang watched as Katara walked away without another word. With his arms full of food, Sokka paused and glared at Aang, before following her.

"He's going to kill you later," Zuko said, not looking up from the paper piled on his lap.

Aang was all too aware of it.

Later that night, after Aang had finished unsuccessfully roaming the halls and passageways of the Palace hoping to catch a glimpse of the spirit that Xing Ying believed to be spying on them, he made his way back to his room. The feeling of helplessness and panic had only grown since he had heard that this snow storm was equally as proficient in the Earth Kingdom. He needed to take action, and all that he was able to do was walk up and down the same corridors hoping to see a spirit that may or may not exist. He considered traveling to the Spirit World once more, perhaps he could bait Innua over there with him if she was close by. If not, then he could start his search for Wan Shi Tong's Library.

As he turned the corner part of him tensed up in case Katara was outside of her room, but the hallway was empty and with a sad sigh of relief he opened the door to his room.

He knew something wasn't quite right as soon as he touched the handle. He could sense someone inside, perhaps a light russle of air, vibrations on the floor. He carefully pushed the door open, his body tense and ready to react. But even with all the preparation in the world, seeing the dark figure standing in the middle of room sent shivers of fear down his spine, the hair on his arms and neck standing on end. Raising his arms he swiftly lit the lamps in his room, a sharp burst of fire flashing from each in his hurry to see this ghostly figure in more details but, as soon as the furious light filled his room, the figure vanished. There was no trace, no shadows cast, no lingering hint of it's presence. Aang stood, his breathing uneven, as he stared at the spot it had stood. There was one thing, at least, that he knew now. That had not been Innua.

That night his nightmares were even more unsettling than normal.

~

When Aang woke the next morning the first thing he did was to take off to try and find Xing Ying. The snow was still falling outside, the windows opening up the a forever shifting miasma of oppressive and sickly greys. Aang had experienced some impressive snow falls in his time in the South Pole, but never had he seen snow so depressing, so vulgar. The weight of the flakes themselves seem to be bearing down on them, even inside they could feel it's influence settling in a blanket of hopelessness upon their shoulders. Part of him wondered how long people could fight against it, and how long it would be before people began to surrender to it's will.

Xing Ying and Yee-Li shared a room across the opposite side of the chambers, and at first he was hesitant to knock. He wasn't aware as to whether or not Xing Ying had chosen to share her vision of this spirit to her room mate and fellow student, and whether he could draw Xing Ying away without rousing Yee-Li's suspicion. But the vision of the figure still haunted him, even the thought of it left his arms prickled with goosebumps. With a long breath, he knocked on the door.

Yee-Li was the one to open the door, and her eyes widened in surprise and delight when she saw Aang in the doorway.

"Avatar Aang!" She cried delightfully. "Has the snow stopped? Are we going to the Temples?"

"I'm afraid not," Aang sighed in response. "Can I come in?"

Yee-Li held out a finger and grinned, before ducking her head back round the door and closing it. Aang felt mild surprise at this action, and tugged his sleeves lower down his wrists to stave off the awkwardness. After a few moments, Yee-Li opened the door again, wide enough for him to enter.

He walked into the unfamiliar room, noting initially the pile of clothes thrown haphazardly beside what must have been Yee-Li's bed, and the neat stack beside Xing Ying. In truth, the two girls couldn't have been more different in the way they acted, and how they looked at their roles as Acolytes, but each of them were just as dedicated as the other, and he felt confident that he could trust them to eventually teach others.

"Avatar Aang," Xing Ying bowed hurriedly, her robe wrapped somewhat inelegantly across her shoulders, no doubt in her rush to appear presentable to the Avatar. Yee-Li was still in her night clothes, and seemed somewhat oblivious to how Aang viewed her. In a way, she reminded him of Toph in her own self confidence and somewhat tom boyish attitude, but Xing Ying never seemed to completely relax around him. He supposed she still saw him as the Avatar, and not the rather humble monk that he truly was.

"You don't need to bow each time," he said jokingly, though instantly wished she hadn't when the mortified look crossed her face.

"Sorry," she said hurriedly, snapping back up.

"It's ok!" Aang assured, holding his palms out. "I just meant, well, I'm still not really used to people bowing to me."

"Relax, Xi," Yee-Lie giggled, slumping back onto her bed, making Xing Ying blush even more.

"Xing Ying, I need to speak with you," Aang said, trying to smooth over her obvious embarrassment. Yee-Li raised an eyebrow curiously, before a grin spread across her face and she jumped back to her feet.

"I'll leave you guys to it," she said, smirking.

"Right, just so you can go find Lieutenant Dekho," Xing Ying quipped. Yee-Li simply winked at her friend before leaving the room.

"She's still seeing that Dekho guy?" Aang asked, surprised. "Does Zuko know?"

Xing Ying shrugged, her hands clasped in front of her. "I don't think he does. But they're always disappearing off together some place."

"Huh ..." Aang frowned.

"Is it a problem?" Xing Ying asked, and he noted the unusual furrow of her brow as she did.

"I'm more concerned as to whether the Firelord will have any issue with it," he replied.

"Oh." She let out a small sigh of what sounded like relief.

Aang eyed her curiously for a moment, confused by her unusual behaviour and why she still seemed to get so worked up around him. He'd hoped that in the past couple of years of knowing each other she'd finally realise that he being the Avatar wasn't quite as glamorous or romantic as it sounded. Especially when said Avatar was always on the brink of exhaustion.

"Anyway," he said, rubbing the back of his head. "I need to speak with you about this spirit you mentioned. Have you seen it again since we last discussed?"

Xing Ying shook her head. "No." She took in the pensive look on his face. "Have you?"

He nodded, sitting himself down on her bed. She remained standing, looking all the more awkward.

"Last night. When I opened my door it was standing there ... I couldn't make much out, just a dark figure. Short. But as soon as I lit the lamps it's vanished."

"That sounds ... creepy." She shuddered, and Aang laughed.

"It kinda was," he admitted.

"So what do you think it means?"

Aang rubbed the back of his neck, stretching out, then relaxing with a puff of air. Truthfully, he had no idea. Was the spirit involved in Koh's disappearance? Did it have something to do with his visions of Innua, the cackles of laughter that would occasionally join him into the waking life after he rose from a nightmare? He had never really encountered a spirit in this way, especially in the Mortal World. He had yet to journey back into the Spirit World, seeking an answer, though part of him felt that the answer to this riddle lay in the spirit alone ... if only he could contact it.

"Avatar Aang?"

He stirred, realising he had been staring off into the distance, lost in his thoughts. He sighed. "As much as I hate to say this, I don't know. I need to try and speak with it, and it felt like it was trying to make contact with me last night before vanishing."

"Would going into the Spirit World help?"

"I'm not sure, but it's the next thing I'm going to try." He looked up at her. "I'll need you to be there. Something tells me that even if I can't make contact in the Spirit World, me traveling there will be enough to draw the spirit closer."

Xing Ying's eyes widened. "But what am I supposed to do? I can't fight off a spirit!"

"It may try and speak with you," Aang explained, smiling at her. She still looked somewhat panicked, her grey eyes blinking back at him. "You're a lot more like the Air Nomads than you think, you know? It's clear you're naturally quite spiritual."

Xing Ying blushed and beamed openly at this, and Aang realised for the first time that she was actually very pretty, and when she smiled it was like her entire face lit up. He blinked. He'd not even considered another girl as pretty in all the time he'd been with Katara, and though they were no longer together, he couldn't help but feel somewhat angry with himself. He looked down quickly realising a blush was creeping onto his own face.

"Ok, I imagine there will be lots of work to do with the snow, so we can try this tonight. How does that sound?"

She nodded at him.

He stood up. "Right, I'm going to get some breakfast. Coming?"

She nodded again, her eyes bright.

Together the pair made their way to the throne room where breakfast would no doubt already be laid out for them. Zuko had taken to giving each of them instructions in the morning, which often meant that Aang had to spend longer in Katara's company than he could stand. Sure enough, everyone was already seated at the table when Aang and Xing Ying joined them, aside from Zuko who was yet to surface. Toph sat opposite Sokka, morosely pushing her food about her plate, though she looked up sharply when Aang and his Air Acolyte entered. Aang felt Katara's eyes on him for a moment, a frown etching her face, before she quickly looked away as he gaze swept over her.

"No Zuko?" He asked, as he sat down beside Toph, Xing Ying joining him on his other side.

"Not yet," Sokka replied.

Aang poured tea for himself and Xing Ying, before passing her down a bowl. He thought he caught a smirk on Toph's face as he turned back to his own breakfast, but when he turned his gaze back to her her face had fallen blank once more, shoving a forkful of shredded meat into her mouth.

"The snow hasn't let up at all," Yee-Li sighed. "How soon do you think it'll stop?"

Aang looked up when he realised that she had been addressing him, and suddenly became aware that the gazes of his friends were all on him, though in Toph's case her head was just cocked slightly in his direction.

"I ... don't know," he said, blinking. "Why would I know that?"

"Well, unnatural blizzards across the Fire Nation and Earth Kingdom does kinda fall into your realm, _Avatar_ Aang," Sokka said, with a derisive snort. Aang frowned, taken back by his friends attitude towards him.

"How do you figure that?" He asked, crossing his arms across his chest. "I'm the Avatar, not the weatherman."

"Well," Sokka continued, his gaze meeting Aang's. "Given you're all about that balance crap, and this clearly isn't any sort of balance, I'd expect you to be all over it."

"It's just bad weather, Sokka," Aang replied, feeling instantly repulsed at the blatant lie that left his lips.

"How do you know that? You've not done anything to find out or deal with it."

Aang gaped at Sokka for a moment, before the warrior piled some more food into his plate and stood to leave. For a moment he wasn't sure how to react to this unusual attack from one of his best friends, but he felt a flash of anger in his stomach. He was doing all he could, he was trying, and now each of his friends were turning away from his one by one. He stood, a deep frown darkening his features, but just as he opened his mouth to call Sokka back, he felt Toph grab the hem of his robe with unabashed urgency.

"Wait! Do you feel that?"

In spite of himself Sokka stopped and looked back, whilst Aang frowned down at Toph.

"Feel what?"

"Shh!" Toph hissed, concentration clouding her features. He pressed his feet firmly against the ground, struggling to hear what she was hearing until ...

"Oh what now?" Sokka snapped, before Toph and Aang angrily hushed him. The warrior dropped the food back on the table, crossing his arms and exchanging a glare with his sister.

Aang could feel it now, a slight vibration across the grounds of the Palace, traveling up his leg, tingling in his teeth.

"What on earth?" He whispered to Toph, who's eyes suddenly opened wide.

"Sokka get to Suki!" She cried suddenly, letting go of Aang and standing. "Katara go find Zuko, tell him we need to get everyone out of here right away. You two- err-" Toph gestured to Xing Ying and Yee-Li, clearly haven completely forgotten their names. "Acolytes. You both go and help Sokka get Suki out of here!"

Sokka didn't need to be told twice. Before even asking what was going on he took off, shoving his way through the large doors with a bemused Xing Ying and Yee-Li following at his heel.

"What's going on?" Katara demanded, taking in the expressions on Aang and Toph's faces.

"No time to explain," Aang replied. "Go and get Zuko."

"Get everyone out!" Toph confirmed, before the pair of them sprinted from the room.

"Toph, what is actually happening?" Aang panted, the vibrations running through him.

"Earthquake, volcano, something is breaking down the foundation of the Palace, and we have to stop it."

Aang continued to run beside her as they skidded round corners charging towards the outer courtyard. He felt panicked, knowing that whatever it was had everything to do with the colliding of both the Mortal World and the Spirit World. If people were hurt, would it be his fault? His fault again? He was aggressively tugged from his perturbations by Toph grabbing the sleeve of his long red Fire Nation robes and roughly dragging him outside of the Palace. The vibrations were much stronger, the ground unsteady. Despite the heavy snowfall and the strong winds he could sense the commotion around them as the rumbling of the earth became heavy enough for all to notice. The snow made it difficult for them to pinpoint a source; Aang because he couldn't see, and Toph because her own 'sight' was inhibited by the blurred and softened outlines cast by the blanket of ice and snow below them.

"I can't see anything!" Aang yelled, raising his arm to shield his eyes. "Toph?"

"It's an earthquake alright!" She howled back, even her loud voice scarcely carrying in the wind. Suddenly a large jolt caused them both to slip and fall to the ground, and they watched in horror the large mass of the Palace before them began to slide and rock.

"It's going to tear it apart!" Aang grabbed Toph by the collar of her robes, pulling her back to her feet.

"Dammit where are those water babies?"

Part of the Palace began to shake, the vibrations almost knocking them off their feet once more. Toph grabbed Aang's wrist, pulling his ear close to her face.

"We have to hold it!"

"Right!"

Swirling the snow and wind beneath him Aang took to the sky, though even his mastery of the elements held up little to the constant battering and beating of the sharp, ice cold biting of the storm. Gritting his teeth he tried to control his movements, letting himself rock and sway with the wind rather than fighting against it. He looked down as Toph dug her hands into the lower front wall of the Palace, her brow furrowed as she tried to stop it's collapse. Aang landed on one of the outer balconies, digging his own palms into the walls, feeling immediately the unimaginable power of the quake below them, the foundations screaming as the very earth they sat on threatened to drag them down. He grit his teeth, his limbs shaking as he tried desperate to ease the stones.

Through the flurry of ice he saw his friends finally escaping the Palace, Sokka and and Zuko carrying Suki between them, Katara standing back and urging those behind to hurry. Toph stood not far back, and he heard her voice yell to them, to get back, that she wasn't sure how long they could hold it.

As if on queue another shudder ran through the building, and one of the large and beautiful spires crumbled from it's perch. Aang looked up just to see if break free and tumble down towards them. Forced to relinquish his hold on the Palace, he swept up the storm below him and, with a yell, threw a large funnel of air that knocked the spire off it's course. The Palace screamed and cried, his hold desperately desired once more. He plunged his hands back into the stone, groaning against the ache in his shoulders. The vibrations from under the surface had stopped, the quake having ended, but the Palace foundations were still threatening to give way.

"Aang!"

He looked down to see Toph yelling up at him.

"Can you hold it?"

In response Aang took a deep breath, then let the Avatar State wash over him. His eyes and tattoo's glowed brightly in the storm, visible to all around.

_"Yes!"_

He felt Toph let go of her hold on the Palace, and the entire building, in all it's great size and mass, seemed to shudder before him. But he felt that familiar power wash over him, his limbs no longer tired, his mind fresh and alert, and he forced each of the stones to remain in place, demanding that they submit to his will.

He felt the ground shudder, and looked back down to see Toph stamping on the ground, columns of rock bursting out from beneath the snow. He watched, impressed as she pulled up column after column around the face of the Palace, cinching it in to place. He felt the Palace steady itself, and Aang began to follow her lead, slamming his palm against the wall, feeling into the ground far below him and summoning his own columns to hold the Palace in place. Together the pair worked, the creaking and groaning of the Palace becoming softer and weaker until finally, with one last shudder, all fell still. Painting Toph stepped back, and Aang pulled away from the wall, about to part with his hold on the Avatar State when he saw a large section of snow and ice break free from the roof, plummeting towards where Toph was standing.

_"Toph!"_

She looked up, unable to see the danger falling towards her. Aang jumped from his perch, the snow spiraling behind him as he shot down towards her. He reached out his arms, grabbing her and curling his body around her, bringing up a dome of swirling air around them with his right hand, the sharp ice bouncing off and falling harmlessly to it's side.

"Are you ok?"

The pair lay panting for a moment, before Aang rolled off his friend, lifting her shoulder to check that she was alright. Toph nodded, rubbing her head.

"Please, Twinkletoes, as if a bit of ice is gonna take me down."

In his relief, he actually laughed, then looked back at the Palace, climbing to his feet. It was a mess, the columns pierced into the walls, pinning it into place, but it was mostly intact. He could imagine how many could have been hurt if it had collapsed, parts of it's regal face falling into the homes below whilst the roof of ice landed on anyone who couldn't get out of the way quick enough. He realised he was still panting, and took a deep breath to calm his nerves.

"Oh, by the way," Toph said suddenly, coming to stand beside him. "Xing Ying totally has the hots for you."

Aang blinked, looking down at his friend. "Really? Right now?"

Toph just shrugged.

**A/N: Have I ever mentioned how much I love Toph? No? I love Toph.**


	11. Chapter 11

What once stood so proud, so regal, and so beautiful, now hung slumped, defeated and dejected. The front hall was covered in rubble, the drapes and tapestries torn and slashed, and the once imposing doors battered and bent. The Firelord looked at the surroundings he had grown up in, a building that had been a home to his family for centuries, the expression on his face blank and unreadable. Around him his friends stood, inspecting the damage, both to the the Palace and to the Firelord himself.

"Zuko?" Mai asked in a hushed tone, little Meiya gathered tightly in her arms. The Firelord's shoulders simply slumped in response, his gaze dropping as he looked back at the Avatar. No one missed the flash of accusation in his eyes, or the way they narrowed slightly as the betrayal of his emotions thinned his lips. Aang looked back at his friend, his heart hammering as he found himself falling ever further into the pit of guilt and depression always willing to swallow him whole.

Suddenly, he saw Sokka make his way towards him, his body too tired to make any response. Before he knew it Sokka had grabbed him by the throat of his robes, pushing forward with his shoulder and slamming Aang against the wall.

"Sokka!" Suki cried, aghast. "What are you doing?"

Sokka glared into Aang's eyes. His face so close that Aang could make out every crease as his face twisted in rage, his bright blue eyes reflecting the fire that somehow still lit on the walls. Aang's face remained impassive, making no effort to fight his friend off him. It was as though he felt his very soul step back, fall to the ground, and submit himself to his contrition, his fault, and his shame.

"You knew this was coming!" Sokka roared at him. "All this time you've been hiding something from us. You knew this was coming!"

"Stop it!" Xing Ying screamed, making to step forward, but Toph grabbed her shoulder and held her back. Sokka ignored her.

"Admit it," he snarled, his face inching ever closed to Aang's. "How long have you known about this? How long have you been skulking off, keeping the truth from us? Why? Because you're better than us?"

"No," Aang whispered in response, the shake in his voice betraying his emotions though his face remained still.

"We trusted you, Aang," Sokka continued, his own voice beginning to shake. "I have Suki to care for ... Katara ... and I trusted you." His upper lip curled once more and he yelled in Aang's face. "Did that matter fuck all to you?"

"I just wanted to keep you all safe," Aang replied. With a snarl Sokka pulled back his left arm, curling his hand into a fist, ready to smash it against Aang's face. Aang didn't wince, he didn't shudder, his gaze remained on Sokka's, watching as the warriors eyes darted across his face, his arms shaking. Then, with a growl he dropped his fist, pushing against Aang once more before letting go of his robes. He turned away from the air bender, his shoulder slumping.

"Keep us safe from what?"

Aang looked up to see Katara glaring at him, fists clenched, the anger and betrayal her beautiful eyes matching Sokka's. But there was something else there. He hesitated, a lump rising to his throat, the remaining pieces of his heart crumbling to dust when he saw the hate.

"Forget it, Katara," Sokka muttered. "He won't tell us. Not even now."

For a second, he wanted to confess all. The nightmares, Koh's disappearance, his visions of Innua and the spirit that seemed to haunt him, but how could they ever be ready to hear of the end of the world? Of the collision between their world and the Spirit World? How could he possibly tell them all of that and, when they asked what he would do, respond with nothing?

"Aang." Zuko stood straight now. "I think it's time you told everyone the truth."

"And if you can't do that you better get out of here," Sokka interrupted. "Because if you put my family in danger once more I swear I'll kill you myself."

Aang winced visibly at Sokka's words as they sliced like a dagger into his chest. He felt his hands begin to shake, his body compressing as he slid down the wall onto the ground. He closed his eyes, rubbing his forehead and sighed.

"Ok."

Sokka looked back at him, surprised.

Aang took a deep breath, crossing his legs and letting his hands drop into his lap. His eyes focused on the ground just before him, where a lone scrap of tapestry lay, fluttering slightly in the cold wind that seeped through the bent and beaten doors.

"The Mortal World and the Spirit World are colliding," he said, his voice monotone. There was an uneasy silence from his friends, although Zuko closed his eyes, already knowing the facts. "Something tore a hole between the two worlds, combining the two. Only one can exist in that space so, essentially, one world will be erased."

"I'm guessing that one world isn't the Spirit World," Toph said, her voice bitter.

"No. It would seem not."

He picked up the piece of tapestry, twisting it between his fingers. "Koh tried to warn me. It was he who called me to the Spirit World that day. But now he's gone, I think for good, and I don't know how to stop any of this from happening. I can't find where our two worlds meet, I can't find a single other spirit who knows of it, who knows of Koh's fate." He laughed suddenly, taking even himself by surprise. "The world's going to end. Can you believe it? And I haven't a single thing to go on. Nothing." A rush of flames from his hand burnt the flimsy piece of fabric, the warm orange glow reflected in his eyes until all that was left was a single charred piece of thread. He let it drop to the ground.

"I spent all that time on the council, because the less I found to do with our worlds the more I felt convinced that it was just one of Koh's tricks. That insect stole Tonrar's face, and he was to be punished for it, perhaps this was just a way to convince me to save his vile hide. But then the blizzard started ... I now know that every word he spoke was true. I have no idea how long it will be before the Spirit World swallows our own, and I have no way to stop it."

A deathly silence filled the room at his words. He dared not to look up at his friends, to see the fear and revulsion and hatred in their eyes. He couldn't bear to see a single sign of helplessness, a plea for him to find an answer, the anger that would flash in their eyes as they looked upon the man who had hid so much from them for so long. For the longest time no one spoke, no one even seemed to breathe, and part of him desired to stand and slink away, so that he would never ever have to face them and witness their response.

"So, what're you gonna do?"

Aang looked up to see Toph, hands on hips, head cocked towards him, a single accusatory eyebrow raised.

"I just told you," he replied, perplexed. "I don't know how to stop this."

"No, I meant now, Airhead. What are you going to do now? Cut and run? Or are you going to face this?"

Aang blinked at her, his mouth gaping as he fought for an answer. Then, Toph walked forwards towards him, leant against the wall, his entire body a picture of defeat and, without hesitation, she held her hand out to him. He looked up at his friend, suddenly in awe of her, her confidence and her strength and, in spite of himself, he dared to hope.

"Toph?"

"Just take my damn hand," she demanded, waving it irritably. After a second's hesitation, he reached out and grabbed it, and her strong arm pulled him forward and upward from the floor. He had expected her to drop his hand at that point, but she remained clutching it, facing him resolutely.

"We're going to beat this, Twinkletoes. The same way we've beat everything else. Together."

She turned to her friends, and Aang saw the smile curling on Suki's lips. She waddled forward, wincing with each step and holding her stomach, but the smile never leaving her face. Reaching out her own hand she took Toph's, and Sokka looked on with concern.

"Anyone else?" Toph asked, a triumphant grin forming on her lips, and Aang watched in disbelief as Sokka walked forwards, taking Suki's hand. After looking across at one another in confirmation, Xing Ying and Yee-Li were next forward, increasing the size of the circle. Next came Zuko and Mai, Zuko taking Yee-Li's hand and putting his other around his wife's shoulder. Aang felt the emotion welling in his chest, his heart hammering as Katara walked forward, her eyes locked onto his, taking Mai's free hand and letting her other interlock with his. He felt a spark of electricity run up his hand, regretfully pulling his gaze from her eyes to look around at the circle of friends around him, each of them with the same determined expression on their faces, and before he knew it he felt the tears begging to well in his eyes.

"Rule two, Twinkletoes, no crying!" Toph announced, before pulling her hand free from his and punching him on the arm. As one, the group laughed.

Later that night, exhausted, Aang found himself outside of Toph's room. The remainder of that truthful day had been spent trying to fix and clear as much of the damage the earthquake had caused as they could. The Avatar himself had been assigned outside once more, clearing the snow and frozen ice from the Palace grounds and down towards the remainder of the City to the best of his abilities. As uplifted as he had been from the new found confidence from his old friends, seeing more evidence of the damage caused by the molding of the two worlds was undeniably difficult for him. He desperately needed the snow to let up so that he and Appa could safely find their way to the Eastern Air Temple, but he saw no sign of that happening any time soon. Part of him felt that he would have to leave regardless of the storm, indifferent to how much of their world it covered, yet, whilst he knew that Appa would follow him anywhere, he was frightened by how much the journey would affect him. And so, after sitting at the stables for much of the evening, Aang had sighed and rested his head against the bison's fur. Appa had grunted softly to him, and though Aang strove to walk away that night he saw in Appa's eyes that he was every bit as determined as Aang wanted him to be, if they should choose to leave.

He wasn't entirely sure what had led him to Toph's room. He had needed to sleep, his body aching from the day excursions, but the thought of more nightmares sent shivers of fear down his spine. Sleep would have to wait until he was prepared to deal with yet more pain. Earlier in the day he had felt almost ashamed that it had been Toph to bring them all together and not him. Wasn't that his job, after all? He'd always known of Toph's confidence, they all had, yet he wasn't sure anyone expected her to be the one try and fix the cracks between the group. He supposed he needed to thank her, though mostly he felt the urge to apologise.

He stood outside her room for a few moments, his fist raised and he debated knocking. He didn't want to put too much pressure on her, or have her punch him for being so sentimental, but he wasn't sure he could walk away right now. However, before he could find the resolve to knock the door swung open and there she stood, arms crossed and an unamused scowl on her face.

"Either you're in or you're out. Do you have any idea how annoying it is to feel you creeping outside my room like that?"

Aang blushed and looked down, shrugging. "Sorry."

"Well?"

He blanched. "Well what?"

Toph just smacked her palm to her forehead. "In or out, Twinkletoes?"

"Oh!" He threw her an abashed half smile, realising too late that she couldn't see it. "Err, in?"

Toph shook her head and turned on her heel, and after a second's hesitation he followed.

Despite only having been at the Palace for a couple of days Toph's room was a complete state. Her clothes lay in a pile in the corner of the room, the bed itself had been thrown onto it's side to make more floor space, upon which sat the pillow and blankets. Ever since he had known her she hadn't liked beds, where sleeping on the ground offered her much more security in terms of what she could see. He also noticed a selection of bottles stacked up against the bed and raised an eyebrow.

"Those are Zuko's."

Toph shrugged, sitting herself down on the floor and grabbing one of them. "Eh, Royalty shouldn't be drinking this stuff anyway."

"And you should?"

Toph froze, resting the bottle into her lap. "I will kick you out. Literally."

"I'm just saying-"

Toph raised her eyebrows pointedly.

"Ok, ok, I'm not saying." Aang submitted, holding his palms forward before dropping to sit opposite her. He watched as she pulled the cork out with her teeth, spitting it across the room where it tonked loudly against the metal of her bin. Aang raised his hands and dimly lit the room just as she gulped down some of the dark red liquid, pulling the bottle away and letting out a decidedly impressive belch.

"I know why you're here," she said, wiping her mouth with her sleeve. "So save it. I said what needed to be said, it ain't my fault if everyone's turned so painfully stupid in the time that I was away."

Aang shook his. "No, Toph, I need to say it. That should have been me ... that's my job. But I failed. And I'm sorry."

Toph's brow raised once more. "Oh. See, actually I thought you were coming here to thank me for saving your butt back there."

"Well, that too," Aang admitted.

Toph sighed, shaking her head. "If we're gonna start getting deep here then I refuse to be the only one drunk." She held out the bottle to him.

"Uh, I'd rather not," he said awkwardly.

"Oh shut up and drink it, Twinkletoes. Seriously, are you a man or a flying lemur anyway?"

Doubtfully, he took the bottle. Sniffing the contents before taking a small sip. He was pleasantly surprised at the warm taste, almost like honey, though there was no mistaking the kick at the back of his throat. He coughed slightly, causing Toph to snort with laughter.

"Flying lemur."

"Am not," he grumbled, rubbing his throat.

"Oh come on, you are too. Running away and moping about as soon as things get difficult ... even the twelve year old you had the guts to face Ozai. What the hell happened to you, anyway?"

Aang cocked his head to one side, a smile on his lips. "You think I had guts?"

Toph barked with laughter. "Don't turn that into a compliment, Twinkletoes. It sure as hell wasn't meant as one."

In spite of himself, he took the bottle when it was handed back him, though this time he was able to hold back the splutter and his throat burned. He considered her words for a moment, wondering indeed what had happened to change him into the man he had become. Truthfully, he hadn't expected this. He had hoped he'd always have the strength to face anything that was thrown his way as, after all, it was his job as the Avatar to deal with these things.

"I don't know ..." he said finally. "I guess I just wasn't as prepared for all this Avatar stuff as I thought I was. Compared to all this, fighting Ozai was easy."

"The end of the world is the end of the world," Toph replied dismissively. "Whether it's Ozai or some spirit it's all the same thing, and it's not any more difficult."

Aang fell silent, looking down at his lap before taking another sip. Toph groaned and cursed under her breath, before snatching the bottle from him.

"What?"

"This isn't about the end of the world, is it?" She said, her voice somewhat resigned. "And if we're gonna talk about _that_ then I'm definitely going to need to be drunk to get through the pain."

He blinked at her. "No, it's about the end of the world!" He protested. "What else could it be?"

"Oh don't do that," Toph snapped. "It's obvious you're still hung up about Sugar Queen."

On instinct he opened his mouth to protest, but realised that she would know all too well as to whether he was lying or not and closed it. He let out a glum groan, resigning himself to the situation and the pull of the drink that Toph still clutched.

"Did you talk to her?"

Aang pulled a face, taking the drink from her hand. "I tried."

"And? Come on I'm not really that interested so don't have me keep asking for you to elaborate."

"It didn't go down so well," Aang admitted. "She didn't want to talk. She said we were over and that was that."

Toph was silent for a moment, her foot pressed to the ground and her head cocked as if she were reading him.

"Ouch." She said finally.

"Tell me about it," he grumbled, taking another sip. Already he could feel a strange sensation in his legs, and his head felt lighter. Toph seemed unaffected but then, he mused, that was just Toph.

"Well, if it's over it's over," she shrugged. "You'll get over it."

For a moment Aang felt like snarling at her, but contended himself with scowling darkly in her direction as he felt his heart plummet back into the region of his stomach.

"Oh don't look at me like that." She leant back on her hands, her legs bent so both feet were planted firmly on the ground. "That's just how it is. It's been nearly six years since you first met, people and feelings change."

Aang felt a strange twist in his stomach the certainty with which she said that. "She really doesn't feel anything for me?" He hadn't meant for his words to sound so pathetic, or his voice to crack so pitifully. A flash of something crossed Toph's features, perhaps sympathy, perhaps disdain, though truthfully he wasn't sure he really cared how he came across right now.

"No."

Toph's words struck him hard, his head feeling lighter than ever as the sensation of falling came over him. He clutched at the blanket he sat on, almost gasping. After a moment, he felt a hand on his arm, and looked up to see Toph, her face still blank, yet uttering a compassionate sigh. "People change," she repeated.

"I didn't change," he grumbled, pulling his knees up under his chin. "I can't ever not feel this way about her. She's the one. The only one." In spite of himself he felt the sting of the tears building, and found he simply hadn't the care to fight against them or wipe them away. He felt something knock against his leg, and looked down to see Toph stiffly holding the bottle against him. He appreciated her being here with him, but he knew that such displays of emotion would never be as well received by Toph as they had been by Katara. _Katara_. She didn't love him any more. Bitterly he took the bottle, downing what remained and letting it drop to his side. The rational side of him knew that drowning your sorrows in a drink wasn't something he, monk and Avatar Aang, should partake in, but right now everything felt far too painful for him to deal with on his own.

"So ... what about Satoru?" He asked at last, his voice still somewhat thick with emotion. He rubbed his arms, and watched as Toph kicked up another bottle from the floor, grabbing it as it flew towards them. She frowned, pulling the cork out with some ferocity, and for a moment he was certain that she was going to tell him where to shove it.

"I dunno what you want me to say," she shrugged, before chugging some more of the honey-like liquid.

"You must have liked him," Aang pressed cautiously.

"I did. And it was fun. But that's all I wanted, fun. It may be alright for you all you lot, but the idea of being tied down by one person for the rest of my life sounds like a version of hell to me."

"Really?" Aang blinked with surprise. "Maybe you just haven't met the right guy."

"What do people say that?" Toph snapped, pulling the bottle back to her just as Aang reached forward to take it. "I mean, why is it so difficult for people to get it into their heads that I just don't want that whole married life crap? I answer to me and me only, not some guy. Never some guy."

"Satoru obviously didn't realise that," he replied, raising an eyebrow, briefly wondering whether taunting the beast whilst she was holding a glass bottle was a bad idea.

"That's not my problem," Toph shrugged. "I never let on that it was anything more than what it was. That he got attached ain't my issue."

He had to admit, despite Toph's self confidence and independence, he had still expected her to be the kind of girl who would one day marry. It was no secret that she had had a crush on Sokka, and the way she had blushed when pressed about Satoru all that time ago had made her seem like the teenage girl that she was. To hear her speak so bluntly wasn't unusual, but the subject matter surprised him and, in all honesty, alarmed him a little.

"Not everyone marries the first person they sleep with," Toph scoffed, as if sensing his thoughts. "Besides," she added. "How do you know if you're any good if you're stuck with the same person?"

Aang blinked. "But if you're with the same person why does it matter?"

Toph suddenly barked with laughter, shoving the drink towards him once more. "Well, you got me there, Twinkletoes. But me? I'd like to live my life a little, I've spent way too much of it cooped up with the same people, being told what to do and how to act. Sex is just sex, and I'll be damned if you or anyone else tries to tell me there's something wrong with that."

Aang faltered for a moment, taking in the carefree posture of her body and the matter-of-fact expression across her face and she tilted her head back to drink.

"I guess," he said finally. "I dunno, it's never not meant something to me, so I can't imagine how it ever couldn't."

Toph flashed him a mischievous grin. "Well then you just gotta play the field a bit more."

"Toph!" He cried reproachfully.

"Hey, what about that Xing Ying?" She teased, her grin never fading.

"What about her?" He grumbled, reaching forward and snatching the drink from her.

"Oh come on. She likes you, she gets all giddy round you like you used to around Katara when we were kids."

"Yeh but I'm not gonna jump into bed with someone just coz they like me," Aang mumbled, his head feeling lighter than ever after his last sip.

"Jump into bed? Spirits, Twinkletoes, slow down, I didn't say sleep with her."

Aang looked up at her, spluttering and scowling before simply growling at her and dropping the bottle at her feet. Toph burst out laughing, before reaching forward with a foot and kicking his knee.

"Oh come on, that was funny," she smirked, and in spite of himself he felt a smile play on his lips.

"You have a very twisted idea on funny," he replied, though Toph could clearly hear the grin in his voice.

"That's what makes me so interesting," she responded, her face twitching and contorting as she tried to wink. Aang just laughed again, feeling considerably more carefree than he had just minutes ago. The pair sat in a comfortable silence for a while, passing the drink back and forth, and though he had no real point of reference he supposed that, by this point, he probably was drunk.

"So," Toph announced suddenly. "End of the world, huh? That's a bit of a shitter."

He looked at her, her face blank as she looked in his direction then, as one, they both spat out a snigger of laughter.

"I mean, seriously, how ridiculous is that?" Toph continued through her laughter. "Oh hey, you ended the war? Well screw you, man, I'm gonna literally end the world."

"And how about Koh?" Aang interjected, his trademark grin wide across his face. He grabbed the neck of his robe pulling it over his forehead, raising his arms above his head and wiggling his fingers like claws. "The Spirit World is going to consume the Mortal World unless you stop it," he said, his voice taking on an unconvincing impersonation of the Face Stealer's. "But I'm gonna leave before I tell you how!"

"You know I can't really see your impression right?" Toph smirked.

"Oh but it's really good," Aang whined, dropping his hands and struggling to pull his robes back down onto his shoulder.

"I don't believe you," she replied, shrugging before chugging what remained of the drink, belching loudly and chucking the empty bottle across the room again.

For the next couple of hours the companions shared comfortable conversation, the alcohol leaving each in fits of laughter and snorting. For Aang, it felt good that one of his friendships, at least, felt normal. For the first time in a year he felt not the single sense of dread, of fear, of exhaustion, and as painful as his face was from laughing he felt no desire to stop. Mostly they laughed about their misfortunes, about the insanity of Satoru proposing to Toph of all people, about the end of the world, about Aang getting dumped, and about how ridiculous their situations had become. Mostly they laughed about all the things that had been hurting them, as if in an act of defiance. Before long, all six of the bottles that Toph had stolen from the Firelord had been consumed, with Toph guarding the little that remained of the last bottle. Aang was far too drunk to stay awake much longer, and after a final snort of laughter, and a brief playful kick from his companion, the Avatar fell back onto the ground, snoring loudly. Toph scoffed at him, though the grin remained wide on her face. She wasn't quite the light weight the Avatar seemed to be, and with a queer smile she downed what remained of her drink, and chucked her pillow onto Aang's chest in a half hearted attempt to cover him. After that, she sat against the wall, playing with her meteor bracelet until sleep finally took her.

Aang hadn't a single nightmare that night.

**A/N: I'm sorry I'm so mean to Aang! I don't mean to be ... But even Sokka couldn't stay patient with him forever.  
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	12. Chapter 12

**A/N: Apologies for the delay in uploading the next chapter! I'm very busy with Christmas work at the moment, so updates will likely be once a week for a while.**

It felt peaceful, the warmth from the sun outside pooling onto his face as he lay there, back pressed to the hard stone floor, his body heavy and his breathing slow. Despite the apparent discomfort of his position, legs splayed, one hand behind his back whilst the other lay out across the floor to his left, he'd never felt quite so carefree, so reluctant to move. He couldn't strictly feel his right hand, though he was aware of it's position, and his lids felt ponderously heavy, the weight far too substantial for him to lift, or certainly for him to even considering trying to move. He had to admit that, for the longest time, his mind contemplated the idea that he was, in fact, dead. Perhaps at some point during the night he had simply drifted away, and here he was, forever laying comfortable and untroubled. Perhaps more shameful than that, however, was the thought that maybe he wouldn't mind so much, maybe he had a right to eternal comfort? After all, who had worked so hard to deserve such a reward if not he? Maybe he should just stay here ...

"Maybe you should."

He was viciously dragged from his state of half consciousness, previously uninterrupted by terrifying dreams and cries of rage, only to find himself in a world of pain, fear and panic. Suddenly the weight across his face lifted, and his eyes shot open, a sharp intake of breath catching in his throat as he looked upon the face that stared down at him. Her blood red lips curled into a wide and dangerous smile, her eyes hooded seductively as her hair fell forward into his face. His numb arm pulled out from behind his body and, frantically, he scrambled backwards away from her, his bare feet losing their grip on the hard stone floor. Gasping he pressed himself against the wall behind him, eyes still wide and panic beating in his chest.

"He thought he lost everything," she said, leaning back onto her heels, her cobalt eyes flashing, that wide curled smile slicing through him like a knife. "But then he lost a whole lot more."

"What do you mean?" He said, his voice so incredibly hoarse that he scarcely recognised it as his own. But as he winced, he opened his eyes to find that Innua was no longer there. Her figure, so real to him before now sat in his mind like a shadow, but as he tried to decipher whether his vision had been true he found his eyesight blurred by a splitting headache running all the way across his scalp and down to the ridge of his nose like a lightning bolt. He yelped and groaned, reaching up with his hands to grab his face, bending double as the pain brought along with it a wave of sickness.

After a few moments the desire to vomit passed, and he dared to peer through his fingers at the room that surrounded him. The lamps were still lit on the walls though daylight shone clearly through the window, and a bed was pressed carelessly against the far wall. With another groan he noted the large bottles, two of which were smashed, lying abandoned across the floor and he realised, with only the slightest sensation of shame, that he had gotten himself drunk for the first time. And not just mildly drunk either, he mused grimly as the pain in his head left zigzags across his vision.

"Toph," he growled, before groaning once more and resting his forehead against his knees. His heart was still racing. Innua's face, so dangerously close to his own, seared like a sunspot across his memory. Had she really been there? Had he simply had another nightmare? Or was he truly going insane?

He remained against the wall for several more minutes, praying that his headache would fade though knowing all to well that this was perhaps a pain he deserved right now. This was his punishment for hiding, and running, for not trusting his friends with the knowledge that he had shouldered himself. _He thought he lost everything ..._ He grimaced. _But then he lost a whole lot more._ He felt a shudder run through his body. What had she meant? And if she hadn't truly been there what was his mind trying to tell him?

With a hiss of pain he hoisted himself to his feet, walking rather unsteadily towards the bathroom door. It was closed, and he propped himself against the wall before knocking.

"Toph?" He called, wincing as even the volume of his own voice caused a fresh wave of pain. "You in there?"

After a few seconds he received no answer, and pushed his way through the door. It was then that nausea hit him and he promptly emptied his stomach into the toilet.

Once he had washed his face and rinsed his mouth out, eying Toph's toothbrush for a moment before decided the inevitable state of his breath made risking a little earth bender spit germs worthwhile, he pulled on his shoes, adjusted his robes, and bravely confronted the world outside of Toph's room. It was bright. He did not enjoy it.

Holding his head he followed his ears towards the throne room, where he could distinctly hear Sokka's loud voice calling out across the corridor. With effort he drew himself up as he saw the guards up ahead, hoping at least that he could convince people that he hadn't got horrendously drunk last night and wasn't suffering the consequences of that. The guards nodded at his presence, and he nodded in kind which, in turn, left his head spinning. He almost missed their knowing glances as they opened the door for him, Sokka's voice immediately dying down as he walked into the room.

"Well, if it isn't the Avatar back from the dead."

"What?" He groaned, looking up to see Toph grinning openly at him, not the least bit damaged by their night of drinking.

"Honestly, I woke up this morning and I thought maybe you had just died during the night."

He merely grunted at her before sliding onto a cushion beside her, dimly aware of four additional pairs of eyes watching him. He raised his gaze across from him, seeing a rosey cheeked and remarkably healthier looking Suki sat opposite him, and hand on her protruding stomach. He narrowed his eyes before mumbling, "you're glowing."

"I am feeling much better," she responded, a smirk on her face as she examined his condition. Beside her Sokka sat, both amused and horrified, but with a twinkle in his eyes that suggested a hung over Aang was one thing he was planning to take full advantage of.

"You joined us just in time, Aang," came another voice, and he looked over to see Zuko at his customary place on the table. Zuko, at least, seemed rather indifferent to Aang's fragile situation. "We need to discuss our next course of action. You said you needed to go to the Eastern Air Temple, and if you think that you'll be able to find answers there then I support that decision. As much as I need you here if things are going to continue getting worse then really there's no sense in you staying. What do you say?"

Aang frowned at him, a humming in his head making it very difficult to understand what the Firelord was saying. "Ok, say that again, but quieter and-" he waved his hand sideways in front of him, "-try not to move so much."

Zuko blinked. "I didn't move."

"Aang, can I be the first to say ... you look like crap." Sokka grinned at him, that evil twinkle dominating his expression.

"You're ... crap." He found himself submitting to the pain his temples, dropping his forehead to the table, and wrapping his hands around the back of his head.

"This is serious."

He looked back up through his arms at the sharpness to Zuko's voice, an authoritative tone that he hadn't taken with him since he had first trained him in fire bending all those years ago. Squinting through the haze he could see a look of determination across Zuko's sharp features, and a hint of desperation flickering in his eyes that he simply couldn't ignore. He knew that he was fearful for his family, for his daughter, and for his people. He knew that, to the Firelord and Sokka, at least, the news that Aang had shared with them the day before came with a fierce need to protect their new families. For Zuko to protect his daughter, and for Sokka to protect his wife and the unborn child she carried. He was aware of all of these things, he had always been aware of it, but seeing them portrayed so strongly across the Firelord's face and within his voice brought a fresh pang of guilt to his stomach.

"I know that," he replied. "How can I not know that?"

"But you're treating it like some sort of a joke," Zuko retaliated, an exasperated scowl on his face. Aang frowned in turn, raising his head so as to rest it against his propped arm, before sighing.

"Zuko I get how important this is. I am the last person you need to be explaining this to. But there's something I need to do here first."

"There is?"

Aang raised his hand to his brow, massaging his head with his fingers to try and ease his incredible headache, and simply nodded in response.

"Don't start this again," Sokka snapped, his jovial mood fading fast. When Aang didn't respond, letting his eyes close slowly, Sokka grabbed his glass and a spoon, holding the items close to Aang's head before clashing them together. Aang yelped, straightening and grabbing his thumping head before glaring at his friend with bloodshot eyes. Sokka raised his eyebrows, holding both items close together as if in warning.

"What was that for?" Aang cried.

"Wake up call," Sokka explained with a shrug. "Now, what is it you need to do here first?"

"Relax, I was going to tell you," Aang replied, scowling. "I'm just tired."

"Well, that's what you get for trying to out drink me," Toph smirked, holding her arms up over her head and crossing her hands underneath her bun.

"I wasn't trying to out drink you," he replied.

"You know, getting Aang drunk, him sleeping in your room, people are gonna start to get the wrong idea," Suki teased, nudging Xing Ying sat beside her as if expecting her to join in on the joke.

"Yup, coz lanky cry baby air benders are just what I go for," Toph scoffed. Aang scowled at her through the muggy haze.

"You can be really mean sometimes."

"Look, I hate to break up the pleasantries but Katara is already out there trying to clear the streets," Zuko interrupted brashly.

Aang felt that all to familiar and entirely unwelcome flip in his stomach at the mention of her name. Remembering clearly for the first time how Toph had told him that Katara had no feelings for him any more, knowing that whatever future he had hoped for with her was well and truly gone. He groaned, thankful at least that only Toph knew of his true feelings at this present time.

"Ok." He rubbed his face with both hands, before setting back and looking around at the group. "There is a spirit here. Xing Ying has seen it to-" he gestured to her, noticing her blush. "I think it's trying to speak with me, but for whatever reason it can't. It has to have something to do with the worlds colliding, and I need to find a way to speak with it."

"There's some spirit walking around here?" Sokka said, pulling a face. "Creepy."

"Xing Ying and I were going to try and contact it yesterday but, well." He gestured to the walls of the haphazardly held together Palace.

"How are you going to do that?" Suki asked

"I'm not completely sure," he admitted, rubbing his forehead. "But going into the Spirit World is all I have to go one. Maybe it can speak with me there, or maybe me going into the Spirit World will be enough to draw it closer and, perhaps, speak with Xing Ying."

"And you think this spirit could tell you what you need to do to break the worlds apart?" Zuko pressed.

"I don't know," Aang replied, rubbing his temples once more. "But it's the only lead I've had since this whole thing started"

"Well, then I guess you better give it a shot," Zuko sighed. "Sokka, Toph, can you ..?"

"Yeh yeh, I got it," Sokka interrupted, rolling his eyes. "Katara will probably be throwing a fit by now anyway." He turned to Suki, putting a hand on her stomach and kissing her on the cheek, before standing with some disappointment. "I'll be back soon," he said to her.

"I know," Suki replied with a smile.

Sokka waved his arm, indicating Toph follow, clearly forgetting, not for the first time, that she couldn't see. Together the pair left the throne room.

"If this doesn't work," the Firelord said, "can Appa get you to the Air Temple in this weather?"

Aang frowned and shook his head. "It doesn't matter, we don't have a choice. I can help Appa, we'll get there."

There was silence for a moment, Xing Ying and Suki looking between Zuko and Aang, before Zuko sighed once more.

"I wish it didn't have to be like this."

Aang let out a dark chuckle. "So do I."

It wasn't much later that Aang and Xing Ying found themselves in his room. Previously, any awkwardness Aang had felt around Xing Ying had simply been because of how awkward she had seemed to behave around him, but now Toph had revealed that his Acolyte had feelings for him. Aside from Meng, it wasn't something he was strictly used to. Meng's crush had been light and somewhat amusing, nothing to make him feel particularly uncomfortable, but around Xing Ying he felt guilty. After all, he of all people knew what it was like to feel so strongly for someone and for them not to feel it back. Regardless, he fought to keep his unease at bay, not to let on that he knew what she was thinking, and to ignore the pink blush on her cheeks as she stood in his room.

As she stood by the door, shuffling one of her feet slightly, rubbing one arm with her hand, Aang stripped his bed of it's blanket and pillow. Inspired by the state of Toph's room last night, he dropped the bedding onto the stone floor, before reaching down and pulling his bed up on it's side and pushing it back against the wall. He turned back to see Xing Ying looking at him curiously, then busied himself laying the blanket across the floor, popping his pillow on the side closest to the door for her to sit on. She continued to watch him somewhat cautiously until he gestured for her to sit down. She seated herself on the pillow, looking around quite nervously.

"You don't need to be so worried," he said, trying to flash her an encouraging smile as he sat, crossing his legs.

Xing Ying picked at the corner of the pillow, not looking terribly convinced. "Do you think she might try and speak with me?"

"It's possible," he answered, pulling his meditation beads out from under his tunic. He saw the look of worry flit across her features, her gentle brow lowering slightly. "It's not here to hurt us," he assured, leaning forward to place a hand on one of hers. "I really think it's trying to help."

She looked up at him, unsure, but a glint of confidence flashing in her eyes, and a small smile playing across her lips.

"I mean, it can't be any worse than a spirit who can steal your face now, can it?" He added brightly. Xing Ying blinked, her smile dropping. He rubbed the back of his neck. "That was a bad joke, wasn't it?"

"I definitely think I'd have felt better without it," Xing Ying offered.

"Right." He shifted uncomfortably, suddenly very aware of her gaze on him. "Ok, hopefully one way or another one of us is gonna be able to speak to this spirit. If I'm not back in an hour then umm-" he gestured wildly with his hands.

"Panic?" Xing Ying asked, raising an eyebrow, her smile returning.

"Well, there's not really anything else you can do, and it'd be nice to be missed," he shrugged, laughing lightly. She giggled.

"Ok."

Aang shrugged his shoulders, rolling his neck, letting his body relax. "Well, here goes." He took a deep breath, pressing his fists together, closing his eyes as he exhaled. In a matter of moment his tattoo's began to glow, and the next time he opened his eyes he was standing in a terrifyingly familiar part of the Spirit World. His breath caught in his throat, and he swung around wildly, panic setting in.

~

Xing Ying watched as the Avatar's tattoo's began to glow, the light fluttering of his lids ceasing, and his body relaxing. Despite not wanting to, she felt fearful at the moment, realising that she was, truly, completely alone.

She looked about his room, her eyes flitting across the darkened walls, lit only dimly by the lamps across their peak. Aang had felt that the spirit was much more likely to come in a darkened environment, perhaps it felt safer for her that way, but for Xing Ying it was incredibly unnerving.

"She won't come to me," she assured herself out loud. "It's the Avatar she wants to talk to. Not me. I'll be fine."

She glanced around the room once more, their shadows dancing eerily from the flickering light of the lamps. Despite the robes wrapped around her, she felt a chill run up her spine and she shivered.

"I'll be fine," she repeated, wrapping her arms together, looking down at her lap. However, almost instantly she found her gaze drawn once more to the glowing man in front of her, feeling with a thrill to her stomach that she could look at him now without arousing any suspicion.

It felt so ridiculous, she thought. To fall for your teacher, your teacher who was the Avatar, at that. Your teacher, who was the Avatar, who was in love with someone else. Your teacher, who was the Avatar, who was in love with someone else, and who never in a million years would see you the same way. She sighed, shaking her head and looking away. But again she found herself drawn to the that glow. She wasn't even sure if him being the Avatar was what mattered, she was sure she'd have been drawn to him regardless. Everything about him spoke elegance, to his long limb toned limbs, his delicate fingers, even his eyebrows seemed to have a gentleness to them. Her eyes were drawn to his lips, and she imagined, not for the first time, what they would feel like. But ... he was in the Spirit World. He wouldn't feel anything is she were too-

"Stop," she snapped to herself, shaking her head once more. "That would be creepy." His shadow flitted across the wall as one of the lamps swelled. "Too creepy."

She sighed, and looked about the room once more, before leaning back onto her palms. Like a moth to the flame her gaze settled on the gentle glow across his face, and she felt content to just allow herself to think about how pretty it was.

For twenty minutes she sat there, watching him breathe, feeling a little more uneasy as more time went by. The Spirit hadn't visited her yet, and she imagined that if she had met with Aang he would be out by now. Against her better judgement she leaned forward, placing a hand on his forearm, giving him a gentle shove. Predictably he didn't react, his body remaining motionless and serene. She pulled herself away from him with some disappointment, before standing and looking back across the room. _He said an hour,_ she thought._ Don't panic just yet. He can handle himself. So can I for that matter._

Suddenly, one of the lamps by the bedroom door died out, and she had to cover her mouth to stop herself from uttering a small scream. Then, another went out, and another. She watched, wide eyed, as each lamp was extinguished bar the one that sat directly behind of Aang. She turned to face him, her breath catching in her throat when she saw the shadowy figure stood directly behind him, it's face dimly lit but the glow from the Avatar's head, revealing that she wore a long black shroud over her face. Xing Ying whimpered, taking a step back before slipping as her heal pressed against her pillow. She landed hard on her backside, gaping up at the figure before her.

_Don't be afraid._

She swallowed, bring her fist up before her heart. The voice ... it didn't strictly seem to come from the spirit, instead it felt as though it echoed straight through her, rattling in her chest.

_Do not be afraid, child._

Xing Ying took a few deep breathes, mirroring the relaxation techniques she had seen Aang do so many times before. "Why are you speaking to me?" She asked weakly.

_I am banished from the Spirit World, I cannot speak to the Avatar there. But you can see me._

"I can," the young Acolyte replied, her voice hushed. "But how can I see you? And who are you?"

_My name is Gotami. And you can see me because you, dear child, have Spirit._

"I have Spirit ..." She repeated the words to herself, lost in wonderment. Unconsciously she pressed her hand to her chest, feeling the beat of her heart, thinking of the spirit that had lived within her for all that time. She supposed she had always known, her natural spirit had been what led her to life as a Air Acolyte, but now she knew that her spirit was truly there.

_Avatar Aang saved me,_ the spirit continued. _And now I wish only to help him save others._

"The Spirit World and the our world is colliding," Xing Ying breathed. "Avatar Aang cannot find a way to stop it ... if he doesn't then our world will cease to exist. Please, what must he do?"

The figure swirled for a moment, basking in the blue glow, before settling once more.

_Koh. He must find Koh._

"But he's been looking for Koh!" Xing Ying cried, panicked. "Koh is gone, his home is rotting."

_Koh is alive, perhaps only just. He has left the Spirit World, and he resides somewhere in this one._

"Where? Where can Aang find him?"

_With that, I cannot help. Koh has hidden himself from all other spirits in this world, for there is one that hunts them._

"Who is this spirit? Why does he hunt Koh?"

_One that is dangerous, one who has the ability to manipulate others, much as Tonrar can._

"Who? Who is it?" Xing Ying pressed, her heart thudding in her chest. The spirit appeared to hesitate for a moment.

_They have remained hidden from me ... I cannot see them, just as Koh cannot see them. But they are hunting him, and they will destroy me if they can. Avatar Aang must find Koh, and he must before this year is out, I fear that our worlds cannot handle this collision much longer._

"Our _worlds_?" Xing Ying frowned.

_You must find Koh._

"We will find him," she assured, her face set. She stood, bowing to the spirit before her. "Thank you, Gotami. But, if we need you again, is there a way-" She was distracted by the sound of footsteps outside, Katara headed to her room, and as she glanced back Aang's bedroom door, the lamps across the walls lit once more. Swiftly she turned back to face the figure, but she had gone. It was then that the blue glow of Aang's tattoo's began to die down, and the Avatar opened his silver eyes, looking up to see Xing Ying standing before him, her eyes fixed upon a spot just above his head.

"You saw it?"

She heard Aang's words, but at first she couldn't answer. He looked behind him, seeing nothing but empty air, then turned back to her. "Xing Ying?"

She blinked, shaking herself slightly and looking down at him. His eyes were wide, hopeful and, she noted, suddenly quiet exhausted.

"I saw her," she responded. "She spoke to me."

She saw his face brighten, and he jumped to his feet.

"Her? Who was she? What did she say?"

She could feel the eagerness radiating off him, and part of her felt bad for what she was about to say.

"She said you need to find Koh."

The sudden drop in his features would have been comical if it wasn't so painful for her to see.

~

_Koh is in this world. He's been hiding here all along? But where? How on earth am I supposed to find a spirit who doesn't want to be found?_

Aang paced circles around his room, his hands rubbing his temples. Xing Ying had left long ago, and though Aang knew he needed to speak of what the spirit had told her to his friends, he couldn't ease the sense of complete despair sitting on his chest. All this time he had been searching in the wrong world entirely! But even now he knew which world to look in the task seemed no less intimidating. And he wasn't the only one searching. He had hope that whoever this spirit was hunting Koh down was still searching the Spirit World and in that regard, at least, he could be ahead of the game. But he still felt like he was back where he started ... still searching for Koh, and still not knowing where to look.

And what about what had happened when he had traveled to the Spirit World? As if part of some huge cosmic joke he had wandered that familiar barren wasteland, searching for any sign of life, hoping that the spirit they were trying to contact him had pulled him there. But he had found nothing. He had searched, and he had called, but nothing came to him in that wasteland. Why had he gone to that part of the Spirit World if there had been nothing there for him?

He wasn't sure how late it was when he finally pulled his bed back down and flopped into it. He lay, staring at the ceiling, his mind still racing. He had no idea where to start, where a spirit such as Koh could hide. The Temples still seemed likely, and he knew there was a chance that he could learn so much more about the collision between their worlds at the Eastern Air Temple ... but it was far to travel, perhaps too far in this weather. He couldn't subject Appa to this, could he? Although, if what the spirit said was right, and he had to find Koh before the year was out, he didn't have time to lay around waiting for the snow to stop.

He growled to himself, rolling onto his side and scowling. Then there was Innua. Had she been real? And if so how could she possibly get there and disappear without a trace. In an instant, his eyes widened, he gasped, and he sat up in his bed. It was crazy ... insane, even. But it could be why he kept seeing her. She had been looking for Koh in the Spirit World. The idea was simply too horrible, too terrifying to imagine, but it would fit that Innua was the one hunting down Koh. For taking her father. He shuddered, not wanting to accept the following thought, yet knowing deep down that it would explain so much about how much she seemed to frighten him. Could Tonrar somehow be Innua's father? At the thought he felt his heart beat quicken, his pulse begin to race. He had to find Koh, and he had to be the first one to do it.

As he lay back down, he had to fight the urge to jump up now and take off the the Temples with Appa. He needed rest, and he needed to let Zuko know what was going on. If it was Innua who had been hunting down the Face Stealer, was Arnook himself to be trusted? He closed his eyes, trying to block out that unpleasant thought, but it was many hours until his thoughts quietened down enough for him to fall into a fitful sleep.

_He fell to the ground, the choking dust from the broken ground beneath him rising about his body. His hold on the Avatar State faded, his eyes fixed on the figure before him as he raised his arm to reach him._

_"I'm afraid you failed." Koh watched him, the face of Tonrar expressionless._

_"No ..." Aang shook his head, desperate. "Please ... I can stop this ... I can save them."_

_"It's too late. The time when the Avatar could act has passed, and the result is this."_

_"Please." Aang felt the tears running down his face, his vision blurred as he held back the racking sobs growing in his chest. "This can't ..." He clenched his fists. "This can't be happening."_

_"But it is." Koh face, Tonrar's face, suddenly smiled, that wide mouth revealing it's many rows of teeth. The smile was cold, it was unwilling, and there was no joy in Koh's eyes. "And of course now you realise what I must take from you."_

_Aang immediately felt the desire to fight, to run, but as he felt the blood clinging to his skin he felt his fight die. He felt his body sag, any hope that he had previously clung to leaving him._

_"Take it," he said, his voice scarcely a whisper. "I wish not to see this any more ..."_

_"I had hoped that you, of all the Avatars I have known, would be stronger." Koh shook his head. "But those flames that burn twice as bright must burn half as long."_

_Koh twisted his insectile form around him, his face almost level with Aang's._

_"At last, I will have the Avatar's face."_

_Aang dropped his head, his eyes examining in his last moments the blood across his palms._

He woke with a jolt, that old familiar panic in his chest, his heart beating so fast he feared it would exploded. _Nightmare_, he told himself. _Only a nightmare_. He raised his arms as he ever did, feeling that clamminess of the blood against his palms, as he always did, but when his gaze fell to them the horror he felt was unbearable.

He wasn't sure if he screamed, if he cried, he wasn't sure of much in that moment. He saw the blood oozing down his forearms, that vile stickiness against his hands, that horrific darkness that was so repulsive. He all but fell from his bed, his arms held before him as he rushed to the bathroom. In his haste the blood smeared against the door, against his clothing, his head feeling light as darkness threatened to take him. Gasping he fell into the shower, his elbows working the taps, feeling as though he was going to faint yet fighting against it.

"Aang?"

He was so panicked, so sickened that he failed to register the voice at his bedroom door. He scrubbed at his hands, desperately washing the blood away that simply wouldn't budge.

"Aang?! Let me in!"

He was hazy, his vision blurred, his chest pounding. He could barely see what was ahead of him, but the blood was still there. There was banging now. He scrubbed vigorously.

"Aang!"

His vision began to clear, as he scratched against his palms with his nails, desperate to clear the blood. It was as his panic began to die, and the whistling in his ears began, that he realised the blood was his own, bursting forth from his palm in rapidly growing drops from the scratches against his palm. He heard a crash, something that sounded like a voice before falling back onto the floor of the shower, the water still pounding down as he stared at his bleeding palms.

"Aang?"

The water spread his robe across the tub, his entire body growing numb as he watched the red beads on his hand grow.

"What happened to your hands?"

He dimly registered the voice, but the high pitched whistle was so loud in his head ...

"Aang? Can you hear me?"

Everything felt so heavy, so loud, the numbness fading from his hands as the pain of the scratches began to pulsate down his arm.

"Aang! Look at me!"

The loud demand broke through the haze, and he jumped as the sound of the water reached his ears once more, his body suddenly aware that it was soaked, and he raised his head to see two blue eyes staring into his, wide and panicked.

"Aang, what on earth have you done?"

He blinked slowly at her, his mind still to numb to form any solid thoughts. She reached forward to take his palms, and he made no effort to resist, the feeling of hopelessness weighing him down like an anchor. As she took his hands, he turned his head to look at the door, the basin, the floor, realising that there wasn't a single drop of blood to be seen.

"Why did you do this?"

The light blue glow as Katara healed his palms distracted him from the rest of the room, turning back to watch as the scratches across his hand faded.

"Why would you hurt yourself like this?"

He blinked slowly, a deep dark shadow across his heart, the glow fading as his hands were restored.

"Aang." He suddenly felt wet palms on his face, pulling it up so that he was face to face with her, her worried eyes darting across his face. His nostrils flared and he swallowed.

"I think I'm going insane."

There was a sharp intake of breath, and Katara drew back slightly, wide eyes filled momentarily with what could only be described as panic. Then, shoulders dropping slightly, she sighed.

"Come on, let's get you out of this tub."

She raised her arm to turn off the shower, taking Aang by the hand and firmly pulling him upwards with her. His body felt so heavy, the dampness of his robes hindering his movement, and as he stood he felt dizzy, swaying slightly before she reached forward to steady him. With some difficulty he was able to lift himself out of the tub, and she guided him out of the bathroom, putting his arm across her shoulder. Once he stood back in his bedroom he felt himself start to sway once more, reaching out blindly for the wall to try and stop himself from falling back to the ground. She stood patiently, supporting him until he felt the fresh wave of faintness passed and he was able to stand once more. Without hesitation she reached up and pulled his sodden robe from over this shoulders, hanging it against the bathroom door, before reaching to find a dry pull-over and trousers from the haphazard pile on the floor. He was simply too tired and confused for embarrassment as she stripped him of his soggy clothes, passing him the dry ones, before hanging all his wet clothes up in the bathroom. She had winced when she saw skinny frame. He had always been lean, but the line of his spine and his ribs stood out so clearly on his pale skin. Clumsily he pulled the dry clothes on, aware of her concerned gaze on him, before dropping back onto his bed, drawing his knees up to his chest and leaning back against the wall.

He stared out across his dark room, the whistling still echoing around his brain, his chest still aching from the panic that had struck him. Katara was busying himself in the bathroom and, whilst in usual circumstances his heart would be somewhere in the region of his mouth at having her in his room again, he felt all but numb to it. He scarcely noticed her pull herself up onto the bed beside him, watching him and he slowly blinked out, staring at nothing.

"What happened?"

He stirred as her soft voice washed over him, pulling his head forward away from it's rest against the wall.

"Aang, I've known about the nightmares for some time," she continued. She leaned forward to see his face, though kept a respectable distance from him. "But this? Aang, what happened?"

For the longest moment he couldn't think what to say. He wrapped his hands around his knees, leaning forward to rest his chin on them, frowning out ahead of him. Then, with an intake of breath, he held his palms out in front of him once more, looking solemnly at the unblemished skin.

"There was blood," he replied at last. "So much of it. It was all over my hands and the door a-" his voice caught in his throat as he once more looked across at the bathroom door, devoid of the blood that he was certain had once covered it.

"Your blood?"

He stiffened beside her, clenching his fists suddenly.

"No."

There was silence from Katara at that point, and though he stared ahead he knew that she was watching him, her eyes flitting across his features and his posture, trying to work out what was going on.

"Should I ask whose?" She said at large, her voice hesitant. He turned his gaze towards her for the first time, her face barely visibly in the darkened room, though her beautiful eyes shone like the moon.

"I don't know," he admitted, before turning away once more. "I just ... I come out of the Avatar State, and Koh is there. There's blood all over my hands and face, but I don't know where it's come from. Koh tells me I've failed and I-" he swallowed, pulling his knees closer. "I tell him to take my face. And then I wake up."

"But this time there was still blood on your hands?"

He nodded, her words summoning a dark humour within his chest. _Blood on your hands._ He supposed that was the point. If he couldn't separate the Worlds then that's exactly what there would be.

"Aang, how long have you been having these nightmares?"

He felt her shift closer to him, her voice fearful.

"Pretty much every night since Koh summoned me to the Spirit World," he replied, realising how angry she would be to hear that he had been keeping from her for that long. But instead, she reached forward, putting a hand on his forearm. He looked over, her eyes locked with his, her brow furrowed and her face determined.

"You can't keep this to yourself any more," she said firmly. "Spirits, Aang, you're exhausted. You look so ill, you've lost so much weight ..." she paused for a moment, taking a deep breath. "Your body literally cannot handle the stress, and hiding it isn't helping any one."

He turned away from her. "Telling people won't stop the nightmares," he muttered. "No one can help with that. I need to find Koh, it's the only thing that can change any of this."

Katara refused to move away from him, her grip on his arm tightening to keep his attention on her. "You've already said that Koh may be gone ... for good."

Aang shook his head. "No. That spirit, the one that I told you Xing Ying and I kept seeing? She managed to speak with it today. Or yesterday," he added, with a light shrug. "Koh is here, he's in our World. And whoever is hunting him still thinks he's in the Spirit World. I need to find him first."

"No, we need to find him first," she said, causing him to look across to her sharply. "Toph was right, the only way we can deal with this is together. You may think this is your burden to bear alone, but it's not. Avatar or no you're just one person, and you physically can't do this on your own." She took her hand from his arm, crossing her arms across her chest. "So I'm coming with you."

He swallowed, panic rising once more in his chest, and shook his head. "No. Katara you can't ... you need to stay here for Suki. If something happens and you're not here-" he shook his head again, his voice firm. "Sokka and Suki need you."

Katara looked back at him, her arms still crossed and her eyes slightly narrowed, before sighing and looking away. "Were you always so stubborn and stupid?" She said, though her tone was warm. He looked back at her, relieved, before flashing her a smile that she almost missed. She glanced back at him, one corner of her lips twitching upwards as she tried and failed to ignore his goofy grin.

"Just ... Aang, if you need help, please talk to us. Me, or Zuko ... even Sokka. Please, don't hide anything like this from me again."

In truth, he wasn't sure that it was a promise he could ever keep, but as he felt the tiredness creep over his body once more he found he hadn't the energy to argue. He nodded at her, before resting his chin on his knees once more.

"Aang. Promise me."

His eyes flicked back to her. "I promise."

She let out a small sigh of relief before uncrossing her arms and moving forward on the bed. "If you're thinking of leaving tomorrow you need to get some more sleep," she said, her tone making it clear there was to be no negotiation. She stood, and he slid himself under the blanket, grateful for it's warmth. He watched as she turned away, headed towards the door, and felt a flash of panic rise to his throat once more.

"Katara-" he paused as she stopped, looking back at him. "Could ... could you stay?"

She stood there for a moment, the room too dark to make out her expression, and he felt his heart hammering frightfully against his ribs, regretting almost instantly that he had asked.

"I can stay," she replied, her voice soft and quiet. She made her way over to his bed, before slipping in in front of him. Their faces were close, and he found himself lost, as he had been many times before, in her large beautiful eyes. He hardly dared to breathe as she lay so close to him, her lips gently parted as she looked up him, before finally she spoke again.

"Sleep tight, Aang."

She rolled onto her other side, her back facing him, and he felt his body ease up. The desire to rest his hand against her shoulder was strong, but he held his arms close to his chest, and let his head rest in his pillow, taking in the gentle scent of her hair.

"Sleep tight, Katara," he replied, before finding himself drifting off into a peaceful sleep.

Katara lay ahead of him, her own heart beating at the warmth of his body emanating against her back. Her mind played through the events of the night, her throat constricted with her worry for him, fear at how close to the edge he seemed to be, horror at seeing how skinny and ill looking he had become. In time, she heard his slow deep breathing, realising that he had fallen to sleep. She allowed herself a small smile, before closing her eyes and drifting off to her own dreams.


	13. Chapter 13

The next morning, when he woke, the air around him smelt sweet, and his body was warm. He opened his eyes to find Katara still lying next to him, her body pushed back against his, and his arm curled around her with his hand cupping her shoulder. At first, he felt as though he should pull away from her, she had told him that things were over between them after all, but the warmth of her body and the sound of her gentle breathing pulled him in. He leaned closer, burying his face into her neck and closing his eyes once more. It was some time before she stirred, and he had drifted off into a half sleep, only slightly acknowledging her hand as it raised to touch his, wrapped around her shoulder. He moaned slightly, burying his face further into her hair.

"Aang?"

He opened his eyes, then snapped back his hand from her shoulder, shifting back in the bed. "Sorry," he mumbled, quickly, pulling as far back as he could. He gently climbed out of the blanket and to the bottom of the bed so he could get out without causing any more damage. Surprised, she propped herself up on her elbow, watching him with relative confusion as he blushed. He stood there somewhat awkwardly for a moment, dreading to think how uncomfortable he could have made her, before heading off to the bathroom and busying himself with washing his face.

When he came back into the room he found Katara sitting cross-legged on his bed, watching him curiously.

"You're leaving today?"

He half smiled at her, peering out between the drapes at the snow laden sky.

"I guess today's as good as any," he replied, watching the miserable flakes fall against his window, the landscape outside an entirely uninspiring white.

"Aang?"

He looked round to see her now standing beside him, a fearful look in her eyes. He opened his mouth to respond, but as he did so she reached forward with her hands, cupping his cheeks and pulling him down towards her. As their lips met the fireworks went of in his head, the excitement and fear causing an explosion in his brain that he wasn't sure he knew how to handle. But as he felt her soft lips pressing against his, her soft breath against his face, his body melted into hers, his arms wrapping themselves gratefully around her waist whilst she crossed her own around his neck. They kissed deeply, their mouths so eager to become reacquainted, and when she finally pulled away he found he felt more than a little dizzy.

"What was-"

She pressed her finger against his lips, tears glistening in her large eyes.

"Just come back, ok?" She said, her voice unsteady. "I can't lose anyone else."

His own voice caught in his throat, and he nodded. "I'll always come back to you," he said, his voice scarcely a whisper. She sniffed and nodded, pressing her forehead against his as they embraced.

They parted outside his door, Katara to go to her room to pull on some clothes, whilst he had to find the others and explain that he would be leaving that morning. He watched with a quiet longing as she slipped into her room, daring to hope that perhaps she had forgiven him. He wondered what Toph's reason had been to lie to him like that, and made a mental note to rile her for it later. With a small sigh he turned, heading down the corridor towards the throne room once more.

The news wasn't good when he found his way down to the throne room. Zuko and Toph sat alone, and he could sense from the looks on their faces that something was wrong. He halted at the door, frowning.

"What happened?"

Zuko grimaced up at him, picking at the food that sat in the plate ahead of him. Toph just sighed, her chin propped up by her hand, twisting a spoon in her hands.

"Guys?"

To his surprise Katara came up behind him, a long coat pulled up over her shoulders, and she stopped, looking curiously between Aang and the two at the table. Zuko sighed.

"It's Suki."

Before he could finish Katara took off, hurrying through the doors. For a second he hesitated, wanting to ask Zuko what he meant, then he too turned and hurried down the corridor.

When he finally arrived at Suki's dorm, the door already wide open, he found her lying on the bed, her face a picture of pain, sweat dripping down her temple. Sokka sat beside her, holding her hand tight, his jaw set and his eyes blazing. Xing Ying was also there, sat with a wet cloth and gently dabbing Suki's forehead whilst Katara and the Palace's own healer stood talking in a corner. He fought back every desire to ask what was going on, knowing that questions at this point would likely only stress Sokka out further, and instead gently sat beside Xing Ying. Suki's breathing was fast and shallow, her fists clenched around her blankets.

In time Katara came over, carrying a steamy mug of fluid, and settling beside Sokka. He gently eased his wife forward, who smiled weakly in thanks as Katara raised the mug to her lips. She grimaced at the taste, thought bravely swallowed it down.

"What was that?" She asked, her voice rough and weak.

"Echinacea, goldenseal and honey," Katara explained. "Much of the herbs in the gardens have died, but luckily there's still plenty of extract here."

"Is it going to cure her?" Sokka asked, his body held bravely, though the panic sitting behind his eyes was clear to all of them.

"It should help the symptoms," Katara continued. Aang held out his hand for the mug, gesturing that he would take it back to the sink, and she passed it to him. The smell of the herbs rose strongly from the mug as he carried it. "The only problem is goldenseal can affect the baby, so I can't give you any more than a couple doses of this."

In her alarm Suki tried to sit forward, but the movement caused a fresh wave of pain in her chest. She cried out hoarsely, her fist pressed against her chest and Sokka eased her back down.

"A couple of doses will be fine," Katara assured, placing a hand on Suki's arm. "It's not all that uncommon in the South Pole for women to get pneumonia, it's the cold. It's been freezing here, and you were already struggling with the pain, it's no wonder you've got it."

"But she'll be ok?" Sokka asked. Aang came to sat back beside Xing Ying, who had dropped the cloth back into the bowl of water at her knees.

"Luckily Gran-Gran taught me all she knew," Katara replied softly.

Aang watched on, suddenly finding that his decision to leave for the the Air Temples was about to become that much harder. He grit his teeth, watching as Sokka gently stroked his wife hand, and Suki shivered under her blanket.

"Do you need another blanket?" Xing Ying asked. Katara looked back across the room where the other nurse was standing mixing up another concoction to ease Suki's discomfort, realising that the last of the blankets were already lying across her friends lap.

"I'll go and grab some," Aang announced, standing.

"Thank you," Suki replied, her voice barely a whisper.

He hurried from the room, closing the door beside him before leaning back against the wall. He had to leave, he had no choice. But how would Suki feel to know that he had left whilst she was so ill? How would Sokka look at this? He raised his hand to his head, rubbing his temple, wondering how their lives had become so complicated. The door opened and he jumped slightly, looking across to see Katara coming from the room. Gently, she shut the door behind her, frowning at him.

"Sorry, I'm just going," he said, stepping away from the wall and turning to head down the corridor.

"The laundry for the infirmary is across here," Katara said, raising an eyebrow as she pointed to the room opposite.

"Oh, right."

She watched him, concerned as he pushed the door open to the laundry. He was surprised as Katara followed him in, the frown returning to her face as she shut the door behind them.

"What's wrong?"

He sighed. "Does something always have to be wrong?"

"Aang." She shot him a dangerous glare and his shoulders dropped in defeat.

"I still have to leave," he said simply. "What is something happens whilst I'm gone?"

"And what will happen if you don't go?" Katara replied softly.

He blinked at her for a moment, before looking away, looking vaguely towards the pile of fresh bedding that lay upon the shelves to his left. In truth, he hardly saw it. There was a feeling of dread in his stomach, weighing him down, and though he knew he had to leave, that it was the right thing for him to do, he couldn't bear to leave his friends when Suki was so sick. He looked up when he felt a hand upon his arm. Katara stood before him, his eyes peering into his, the weight in his stomach suddenly deciding that it would attempt backflips.

"I can take care of Suki," she said, her voice calm and clear. "They will both understand that you need to go, no one is going to blame you for this."

He shook his head. "When did things start getting so difficult for us?" He asked. "When I got rid of Ozai things were supposed to be so easy for all of you, but it hasn't been."

"I guess that's life." Katara shrugged, her gaze suddenly more serious. "We do the best with what we have."

He looked at her differently in that moment. A girl, no a woman now, who had lost her mother, her grandparents, and who was standing strong despite her pregnant sister in law being so ill. He had lost his people, sure, but whilst he withered the young water bender before him fought, and he felt shame. He dropped his head, looking away from those beautiful eyes.

"I'm sorry," he said. "I should have been stronger, should _be_ stronger. For all of you."

"I should have been there for you."

He looked up to see her now averting her eyes.

"I was angry, and hurt, but I still should have been there."

"I still don't really understand what happened," he admitted quietly.

"There's no time to talk about it now," Katara replied firmly. "But there will be." She looked up at him once more, a small smile on her lips, though her eyes appeared sad. A wave of need washed over him, a primal urge to take all that hurt out of her eyes, and though he wasn't sure whether it would be appropriate, he reached out, cupping her chin and tipping her face back as he leant down to kiss her. At first, he felt her attempt to draw back, but as their lips met, her tongue lightly sweeping across his lower lip, he felt no resistance. For the first time in many more months than he cared to think about she let him kiss her, and he wrapped his arms around her waist as she wrapped hers around his neck. He felt that familiar haziness come over him, so overwhelmed by her that he felt all but faint. They were pressed together so tightly that it was difficult for either of them to catch their breath, and as he felt her fingers slide down his neck he failed to fight back the moan in his throat, one of his hands trailing up her spine to wrap under her hair. He wanted her in that moment, to reach down and wrap her legs around his waist, but he knew that there would be nothing more cliché than letting things get out of hand in what was essentially a storage cupboard. Especially given the present situation. She seemed to have the same thoughts and, even as she lowered her hands onto his chest, her nails scratching against him, she moaned and pulled away, the pair left standing out of breath, staring hungrily into each others eyes.

"Does this mean you forgive me?" He asked, a grin spreading across his face.

"Don't push it," she whispered, before pushing him lightly back. "Or I won't let you kiss me again."

His grin only widened as he pulled her back to him, unable to deny himself a trail of kisses along her jawline. She whimpered slightly and Aang couldn't help but wonder if perhaps he could delay his departure by an hour or so.

"They're going to wonder where we are," she said, reluctantly drawing away.

"I suppose," he grumbled. She grabbed a handful of blankets, dropping them into his out-stretched arms. "Go, take those back to Suki."

"Yes ma'am," he said mockingly, before ducking as she made to slap at his head. Feeling significantly warmer he made his way back over to Suki's room.

"You took you're sweet time," Sokka said, raising an eyebrow as he entered the room.

"There weren't any clean," he replied, without missing a beat. "I had to take some from another room."

He felt Xing Ying looking at him curiously, and hoped his face wasn't so flush as to give away where he had really been. Suki however, despite her illness, seemed to have a knowing twinkle in her eye as she looked across at him, barely concealing a smirk as he and Sokka draped the blankets over her.

"Thank you," she said, that slight smile shining through her red cheeks and tired expression.

"Look, there's something I need to tell you," Aang continued. Katara came into the room at that moment, having opted to stay outside a little longer to avoid suspicion. As much as he delighted in the feeling of his stomach now being that of elation rather than depression at her proximity, he knew he needed to remain sober for what he was about to say.

"I need to leave. Today. I don't want to," he added as he saw Sokka's brow crease. "But I need to find Koh. Xing Ying spoke to the spirit yesterday, and the reason I couldn't find Koh before was because he's no longer in the Spirit World. He's in this one, and things are only getting worse. Now I know he's here I have to keep searching."

There was a silence that followed his words, Sokka looking across at him gravely whilst Suki closed her eyes. Xing Ying's gaze seemed to remain at the floor.

"I'm sorry I have to leave now," he continued, his voice quieter. "I wish I didn't."

Suki nodded, her eyes still closed. "You don't have to be sorry," she said, her voice frail as she seemed to pass off into sleep. "You're gonna save the world, after all."

His expression became grim, betraying his complete lack of confidence in his own abilities at present, but Suki was far too tired to notice.

"Do what you need to do," Sokka agreed. "Just be careful."

He nodded, he cast a last glance at Suki, frail and sweaty on the bed, before nodding once more, firmly, at Sokka. He turned to Xing Ying.

"Where's Yee-Li?" He asked. Xing Ying pulled a face.

"Where else?"

He sighed. "Could you let her know for me?" He asked. "The sooner I leave the better."

She frowned at him. "Uh, ok." She watched on, confused as he turned from her with a brief squeeze on the shoulder. At the door, Katara told him that she would see him off in just a moment, and Aang left the room, knowing this would be the last time he could see many of them for some time.

As he left, Xing Ying turned her gaze sharply to Sokka's.

"What did he mean let her know?" She demanded. "He can't possible be thinking of going alone, can he?"

"There are some things that Aang feels he needs to do alone," Sokka replied with a shrug. "I can't say I'm happy with it but none of us are in a position to follow him." He looked sadly back at his wife. Xing Ying continued to frown, before standing and proceeding to follow Aang's example.

"That's a stupid idea," she said, surprising even herself with her vehemence, before exiting through the door. Katara watched her leave with some alarm, an odd feeling in her gut.

It was an hour later, after explaining to Toph and Zuko the encounter Xing Ying had had with the spirit, and his need to go in search of Koh, and Aang was shouldering the cold, tying supplies securely to Appa's saddle. Toph and Zuko stood close by, and Aang was all too pleased to see that Katara had come to see him off as well. He had yet to ask Toph why she had lied to him, but as he began to truly appreciate just how bitterly cold and miserable this journey would be, the thought had clear left his mind.

"Are you sure about this?" Zuko asked, not for the first time that hour.

Aang sighed. "Am I sure about asking Appa to fly in a blizzard? No. Am I sure I have to find Koh? Yes. Stop with the asking, already."

"Have you got everything you need?" Katara asked, trying to sound somewhat indifferent in front of Zuko and Toph, but Aang couldn't but feel a true thrill of joy when he saw the genuine concern for him in her eyes.

"I've got everything," he replied. "I've got enough food to last me the rest of the year, thanks to Mai, and if you give me any more robes and blankets Appa isn't going to be able to take off!"

He shot a grin at his friends, but none of them seemed to keen to share it. He could see the worry for him as they looked at the thick heavy skyline, and truthfully he was more than a little apprehensive about how well Appa could deal with this. If at all.

"Don't worry," he repeated. "I'll be fine. Everything I need is there." _Except you,_ he wanted to add, as he looked across at Katara.

"Not everything you need."

The group looked back in surprise as they saw Xing Ying trudge out carrying her own pack, a large red robe wrapped about her shoulders. Aang blinked, too taken back to say anything as she pushed past him, chucking her pack up onto Appa's saddle.

"Uh, what are you doing?"

"What does it look like?" Xing Ying replied, taking a firm and confident tone that she normally seemed unable to reach when she was talking to her teacher. "You're not going on your own, that would be suicide."

"Whoa whoa whoa, you're not coming with me," Aang protested, hurrying forward as if to grab her pack back from Appa.

"Yes I am."

"I don't wanna play this card," Aang sighed, exasperated at her desire to get herself into danger. "But as your teacher I'm ordering you to get your pack off that saddle and go stand with everyone else."

"Nice one," Toph scoffed. "Aang you're about as authoritative as Momo." From her shoulder, the lemur cocked his head. Aang turned his head to glare at her, whilst Zuko raised his brow and nodded his head to gesture behind him. He looked back to see that Xing Ying had climbed onto the saddle.

"You're not coming!" He cried. "Xing Ying you have no idea how dangerous this could be, not to mention there's absolutely no chance you can face Koh if we find him. You know he steals faces, right? Actual faces?"

Xing Ying crossed her arms. "You can't go on your own," she repeated. "What if something happens? What if you're injured, or knocked off Appa? You're going to need to sleep, how are you going to keep watch and fly Appa with your eyes closed? Plus, you know I can contact the spirits. Maybe you need me more than you think."

"Xing-"

"And none of them can go with you," she interrupted, gesturing towards his three friends. "So you're stuck with me."

"I think she's right, Aang," Zuko agreed. Aang glowered at him for a moment before sighing and rubbing his temples.

"Alright, fine. But if you get eaten by a polarbear dog I am not responsible."

Xing Ying grinned triumphantly, before turning back to fasten her pack to the saddle. With an roll of his eyes he turned back to the three people huddled behind him.

"Make sure you take care of yourself, and this time I promise to find Koh. And some answers."

"Don't make promises," Zuko warned. "Just do what you need to do. We have faith in you."

"Just don't be a baby and get yourself beat up," Toph said, digging her finger in her ear.

"I'll do that," Aang deadpanned. "Thanks for the support, Toph."

"Any time." Toph grinned.

Aang turned to Katara, prepared for a sober goodbye, only to find her pull him into a hug. "Be careful," she hissed. "I mean it, don't do anything stupid."

"When have I ever done anything stupid?" He asked, throwing her a grin as she pushed him out at arms length, a deep scowl across her face. "Point taken. I'll be careful, just make sure you take care of Suki."

She nodded, and their eyes lingered upon one another before, regretfully, Katara took her hands from his arms. Aang turned, bending himself onto Appa's back, coming to rest at his head, taking the reins.

"Ok, buddy. Yip yip."

Appa let out a roar, beating his giant tail and taking to the snow ridden air. The snow was thick, and as Aang turned his head, his eyes fixing upon Katara's he realised to his despair that in a matter of moments he could no longer make her out. He look a deep breath, turning to face forward, his body automatically hunched against the flurry. Behind him, Xing Ying sat back, gripping the saddle, her gaze turned back towards where the Palace had once stood before becoming obscured.


	14. Chapter 14

He had predicted it would be cold. He had predicted that it would be hard work. He had even predicted that he would have had to do most of the work for Appa. But as prepared as he felt he was, the journey to the Eastern Air Temple couldn't have been more difficult.

It soon became apparent to Aang and Xing Ying that Toph had not been lying when she said that the blizzard had spread to the Earth Kingdom. Once they had finally made it across the ocean (with Aang parting their way in the Avatar State) they found themselves looking down over an unfamiliar landscape. The dry earth was painted white, the already peaked mountains caked in layer after layer of thick ice. Aang was exhausted after the night's traveling, and Appa was groaning with an unease that broke his friend's heart. After much searching, and some fire bending from Aang, the trio finally found somewhere they could rest. Appa immediately curled into the corner of the cave whilst Aang set up a large fire in the center to warm them. Xing Ying gathered food from their packs, setting up the pans and bowls ready, only to find that the air bender had fallen asleep quite suddenly against the bison's side.

Much later, Aang woke with a start. If he had hoped his exhaustion would hold back the nightmares he had been wrong, and instinctually he checked his hands and arms for the blood that had haunted him only a few nights ago.

"Are you ok?"

His head snapped up to see Xing Ying watching him, her eyes wide, whilst a spoon hung slack in her hand as she paused stirring the stew. With a sigh he sunk back into Appa's fur, putting a hand over his eyes.

"I'm fine."

A silence followed his statement, with Aang lying back with his eyes closed and Xing Ying continuing to stir the pot. He lay there for a few moments, feeling her eyes on him, before he let out a resigned sigh. He opened his eyes to see Xing Ying blush deeply and quickly look away.

"I have nightmares," he said simply. Xing Ying peeked up at him, her face still flushed from the heat of the fire before her. "Pretty much every night."

The fire crackled and the pot bubbled, the sound of the howling wind outside creating a twisted soundtrack to their thoughts.

"What happens?" Xing Ying asked at large, her eyes betraying her fearful curiosity.

He blinked at her for a moment, not sure he wanted to reveal these nightmares to her, particularly when they displayed how badly he could fail, how violently things could end.

"The world ends," he replied, taking in the widening of her eyes, the heightening of her brows, and the way her hand clenched around the spoon she held. "I fail and the world ends."

Xing Ying said no more after this, instead pouring some stew into a bowl and bringing it over to him. He nodded in thanks, and the pair sat in silence for the remainder of the night, Xing Ying finally falling asleep, and Aang staring out into the blizzard outside.

The days follow in much the same way, Xing Ying and Aang scarcely speaking, Aang waking from his nightmares and his Acolyte pretending not to notice. Appa tired quickly, even with Aang helping to part the wind and snow before them as they flew, and frequently they would have to find shelter so that the sky bison could rest. Aang spent much of that time talking gently to him, full of guilt over what he was asking Appa to endure for him, and despite Appa accepting the attention, he could see that, really, the bison just wanted to be somewhere warm and safe.

On the sixth night they reached what would have once been the Si Wong desert, and although it had never been a location he had been particularly fond of, he was filled with despair when he saw that it, too, was covered in snow. The blizzard, however, wasn't quite so strong here, a lighter flurry filling the sky and he hoped that the desert, at least, would provide easier passage to the Eastern Air Temple. The irony of the situation was not lost on him. As the flat pale landscape came into view Appa became uneasy, and let out a gentle almost pleading groan and, despite the lack of shelter, Aang agreed that it would be best for them to get some rest before attempting to desert. For Appa's sake.

With much effort Aang had been able to bend some rock up from several feet below the surface of the snow. It wasn't much, and it made for a pitiful shelter, but it was more than they would have had otherwise. With Appa curled up at one end there wasn't much space for a fire, and any attempts he had made were soon blown out by the howling wind. Xing Ying pulled some biscuits from her pack, which they ate in silence, huddled up under blankets and shivering.

Aang had never been one to feel the cold, in fact even in the South Pole he had been quite comfortable in just his air bending robes, but this was a cold that bit his skin and reached all the way to his bones. Even with several robes and blankets, leaning against Appa, he wasn't able to find any relief and, without a fire, the ice cold wind was painful. Xing Ying sat away from him, wrapped up in her own blanket, shivering even more than he was away from Appa, her face bright pink and her breath coming out in clouds. With some difficulty he leaned forward, pulling the last large blanket out from his pack, then called to her. She looked up, doubtful as he wrapped half of the blanket around himself, holding an arm out for her. She visibly hesitated, freezing up and looking all but terrified at the gesture made to her.

"Relax I haven't got cooties," he said, his teeth chattering yet laughing in spite of himself. Xing Ying remained frozen in place for a moment longer, before getting to her feet and seating herself beside him. He pulled the other half of the blanket around her and huddled close. He knew the reason for her discomfort, but in weather like this they'd have to put aside a little embarrassment.

"Regret coming yet?" He asked.

In that moment, with Aang's body and warmth pressed against her side, Xing Ying wanted to say no. But when she thought back to the way Katara had hugged him before they had left the old familiar sensation of sadness settled on her chest.

"I don't think it was one of my better decisions," she said at last, through chattering teeth. Aang laughed, adjusting himself further back into Appa's fur. The bison let out a sleepy groan, and tentatively Xing Ying shifted closer towards him, sharing in his warmth. Before long he heard her breathing soften and deepen and, realising she had fallen to sleep, closed his own eyes and let himself drift off.

He woke with a start next morning, that same old nightmare screaming in his head. He shut his eyes tight, waiting for the panic to die down, before opening his eyes with a sign and familiarising himself with his surroundings.

Xing Ying was still asleep, her head resting on his shoulder, and for a moment he felt inclined to stay where he was. She looked so peaceful, so unworried, and he longed to feel that way once more. Behind him Appa snored, looking just as carefree as the girl beside him, and he couldn't help but chuckle at the noise, so ill fitted to their particular situation. The sun was up, yet even that had little affect on the biting cold that hit his face, and though he knew they should get going, it was so warm gathered up under the duvet and resting against Appa. After a seconds hesitation, he rested his head back against the bison, closing his eyes once more.

It was a further half hour before Xing Ying stirred, blushing in the realisation that she had been lying with her head against his shoulder. Gallantly he pretended not to see, busying himself with a wide yawn whilst she shuffled away from him.

"We should get going," he said. "I think we've already lost too much daylight as it is."

The cold immediately clutched onto his skin with talons as he pulled the blanket from around his shoulders, and he shivered.

"It feels like it's got colder!" He hissed, wrapping his arms around himself as he headed to gather what remained of their valiant efforts to start a fire that night. "Even our fires are going to end up freezing if it carries on like this." He cast a glance back at Xing Ying, who had to speak that morning, and saw her sat where he had left her, her gaze dropped to the floor.

"Are you ok?"

She jumped as if she had been struck, looking sharply up at him. "I'm ok!" As he opened his mouth to retaliate she stood and started to pack away the extra blanket, before walking over to him and all but snatching the supplies from him. He watched in surprise as she heaved the pack up onto Appa's back, waking the bison who turned his head and let out an irritated grunt.

"Ok ..." He patted Appa on the cheek, exchanging a look with the bison that clearly indicated that he didn't get it either. Then, after stamping his foot into the ground and lowering the rock shelter around them, he jumped onto Appa's head. "Ready?"

Xing Ying nodded, though stared resolutely behind them.

"Yip yip."

They traveled in silence for much of the day, Appa bravely pushing through the flurry ahead of him whilst Aang used his bending to part the gale force winds that blasted at them. His thoughts drifted, as they often did, to Katara. Her perfect features melded beautifully against his minds eye, imagining over and over again the kiss they had shared in the laundry before he had left, remembering how desperately she had clung to him and how overwhelmed with joy and gratitude he had been to finally have her in his arms once more. He still longed to understand what had happened between them for her to leave him in the first place, and in truth it shamed him somewhat to think that his own weakness had been what brought her back. He was supposed to take care of her ... He was supposed to take care of all his friends, not the other way around. Yet his unconscious and sub-conscious mind had become his enemy, and he had failed to fight against it. He, the Avatar, arguable the most powerful person in the world, had fallen before simple nightmares and exhaustion. His bending faltered at that point, Appa groaning slightly as if to gather Aang's attention and he mentally shook himself. He had no right and no time for self pity, to ponder his mistakes. Ever since Yuddha, back in the days of the Yu Dao coalition, had accused him of putting his duties aside he had done everything he could to deny that truth, to ignore his words, and to distract himself. Then, under Tonrar's control, he had lost himself completely. His guilt, his denial, and his anger had almost become a driving force and he became lost in it. Though he had beaten Tonrar that day, and though he felt that he had regained part of himself in that moment, he supposed that that trio of emotions still had much greater a hold on him that he thought. Through his actions Katara had lost her grandmother, the woman who had raised her, the woman who had been her mother when her own had been lost, and he could never forgive himself for that fact.

_But she forgave me_, he reminded himself forcibly. The ever prevalent trickle of doubt dropped into his mind once more, erasing all other thoughts as though it were a droplet of ink. _I don't deserve it._ Once more he imagined her face, her eyes closing as she drew closer to him, and the sensation of her lips touching his.

"Aang!"

He jumped, waking from his reverie, not realising that Appa had begun to slow. He looked back to see Xing Ying leaning over the saddle, gripping the sides hard with her fists, her eyes wide. He turned to look in the direction in which she was pointing, seeing a large dark mass sticking out from the snow.

"Is that a building?"

"It can't be," Aang yelled back. "There aren't any buildings in this part of the desert." _Unless we're way off course_, he thought to himself, his stomach knotting up.

They drew closer, the dark mass becoming clearer through the flurry.

"Are you sure about that?"

He frowned. The closer they got the more and more it looked like the roof of a building protruding through the thick layer of snow. They had to be way off course to have come across this, but then in this blizzard he wasn't surprised if they had been knocked further South than he had planned. Cautiously Appa approached, forcing his way through the barricade of ice pressing against them, before landing beside the dark peak. Aang immediately jumped from Appa's head, before climbing up onto the building.

"What are you doing?"

"Looking," Aang replied, hastily pulling off his boots.

"You're going to get frost bite!" Xing Ying warned.

"Avatar's don't get frostbite," he called back, trying valiantly to hide his wince and hold in the yelp of pain as he pressed his bare feet against the biting, freezing surface of the stone. He closed his eyes, trying to block out the wind around him, sensing that the building itself wasn't very tall, merely a lone stone shack, no bigger than a stable. Hesitantly he pushed further, trying to detect any forms that may be lying inside. To his relief, he felt nothing. He then grabbed his boots before quickly bending himself back onto Appa, letting out a small sigh of relief as his feet met with the bison's warm fur.

Xing Ying watched with a raised brow and as Aang discreetly tried to rub his feet.

"I told you so."

He threw her a dark glare, before raising his arm, a ball of snow hitting her in the back of the bed. She cried out, jumping and swinging wildly around, before turning her shocked face back to him.

"Did you just throw a snowball at me?!"

"So now she talks," he teased, pulling his boots back on. "It's only a single shack, and good news is there's no one ... in there." He sighed. "Bad news is we're off course."

Xing Ying looked around their surroundings, her face betraying her concern.

"Maybe we should stop here," she said. "Can we use the shack?"

He glanced back at the peak. "I don't see why not, but we still have a few hours of daylight left."

"Well, right now we're lost," she said matter-of-factly. "And we're not going to come across a better place to rest in the desert than this."

With a resigned grunt, he nodded, before jumping from Appa once more. Spreading his arms he bent a channel into the snow, a slope that lead towards where he had felt the entrance to the shack to have been. Luckily, the door itself was wide, perhaps used for storing vehicles or animals, and there was plenty of space for Appa to squeeze in. He gestured to the pair, before wandering into the hut.

By the time Xing Ying and the bison had entered he had already set to work lighting some of the lamps that hung on the abandoned walls, their warm glow illuminating an empty room, filled with hay across one side, and saddles and bits hung up against the wall on the other side.

"It's like a livery, or a stable or something," Xing Ying said, looking about the room. Appa whined in happiness when he saw the mountain of hay before him, rushing over and sinking his face into one of the bales. That it was mostly frozen seemed not to bother him, and the bison settled down onto his stomach, chewing happily on the bountiful feast before him.

"Well, at least someone's happy."

Aang pushed the large heavy doors shut behind them, a loud clunk as the doors clicked together leaving an eery silence. The sound of the wind outside was muted considerably by the stone walls and thick padding of snow that surrounded the stable, although there was a somewhat disturbing whistling to be heard as the storm outside forced itself through the small crack and burrows in the roof. Feeling somewhat guilty for his coming act of vandalism he bent a hole into the stone floor before setting to work starting a fire to warm them.

After setting up their sleeping bags and placing a pot of rice down by the fire ready for their dinner Xing Ying set off to explore the prize they had discovered. Appa still had his face buried in the hay, making content noises as he ate, and he had to smile. For now, at least, they were warm and safe, and it reassured him to see Appa finding some few creature comforts after all that he had asked of him this past week.

"Aang! Come look at this!"

He looked up curiously, jumping lightly to his feet before following Xing Ying's voice to the corner of the stable, hidden behind one of the large bales of hay. She stood, her expression doubtful as she looked upon a large, somewhat tattered Fire Nation banner hanging against the wall in front of her. In front of that sat what appeared at first glance to be some sort of shrine. A dusty, well worn cushion lay on the floor before a wooden plinth, and stumps of long-extinguished candles sat in metal saucers around a small figurine made of what appeared to be pure gold. Against it's old and perhaps forgotten counterparts, the figurine seemed completely out of place, twinkling brightly against the light of the lamps flickering across the wall, the stern face looking out across at them with an almost resigned determination. Xing Ying looked back at him, her eyes narrowed with concern.

"Do you think the Fire Nation Armies would hide out here too?" She asked, her voice hushed as if fearful that someone would overhear.

Aang shook his head, unable to take his eyes from the golden figurine. "I don't think so. Xing Ying, that's Avatar Roku. The Fire Nation Army wouldn't have had a shrine to the Avatar ..."

Xing Ying's eyes widened, her brow rising. "This is a shrine to Avatar Roku?" She looked back towards the statue. "What an odd place for it to be."

Hesitantly, Aang stepped forward, and Xing Ying moved back to make room for him. After a moments consideration, he raised his arm, reaching his hand forward towards the statue.

"What are you doing?"

He glanced back at her, pausing.

"I don't know," he admitted, with a slight shrug, before continuing, his forefinger making contact with Roku's golden head. He braced himself, part of him expecting to be dragged into the Spirit World, another part of him hoping that he would, but after a few moments, it became clear that nothing was going to happen.

"I guess not," he mumbled. "Still, I wonder why there's a shrine to-" He felt his body wrenched from the ground, his vision blurring, his head swimming, vertigo hitting his stomach as he felt himself dragged backwards higher and higher. Then, almost as soon as it began, the sensation ended, and he found himself stood on a clear peninsula, water lapping at the deep black stone that he had landed on. Before him, a man stood, hands in his sleeves, a gentle smile on his face. "-Roku."

Roku inclined his head, closing his eyes briefly.

"It's good to see you again, Aang."

* * *

><p>It had been two weeks since the Avatar had left the Fire Nation, taking his journey eastward towards the Air Temple, and despite best efforts, the Nation was swiftly falling to disarray.<p>

Fire Nation citizens had attempted to leave the country, traveling northwards where, should the rumours be true, the blizzard was said not to have reached, taking with them supplies of food as they attempted to get across the unsteady waters on fishing boats. Eventually, tragedy had struck, and one boat had capsized not far from the Fire Nation's shoreline, and a rescue party had been sent to retrieve the passengers. Three people had been lost to the ocean that day, and Firelord Zuko had been forced to place guards across their coastlines, preventing people from leaving. The outrage from this had been mixed, some furious that the Firelord could keep them trapped in this way, others angry at those who had set off, wasting ships and supplies. After several nights of this one group had refused to listen, trying to force their way past Zuko's watch. Their yells and demands were heard across much of the lower district, with people braving the cold to see what was going on. When one man attacked a guardsman, the watch had been forced to arrest them, slapping metal cuffs around their wrists, marching them back up towards the Palace. Some had cheered from their windows, but for the most part the guards were heckled, objects thrown at them, exclamations of suppression clear across the City. The next morning, Mamoru had released the men, but the damage was already done, and across the Capital whispers of betrayal spread like wildfire. Many seemed to doubt whether the Firelord was even capable of getting them through this blizzard without resorting to oppression and arrests.

Back at the Palace, the stress of trying to manage his people, and trying to keep them alive was begin to show. Rarely would he leave the throne room, and sleeping was out of the question. He continued to try and get word to the surrounding Nations, but so far it seemed as though their pleas had gone unheard. No aid came, and Zuko began to wonder whether the other Nations were happy to let the Fire Nation struggle alone through this. He knew, given the history, he couldn't strictly blame them for this, but the overwhelming sense of abandonment left him feeling betrayed and, not for the first time, deficient. Mai had tried to help, but seeing her face each morning, knowing she and Meiya had slept alone, only proved to remind him of where else he was failing.

As the second week rolled into the third, it was not only the Firelord who was struggling to weather the storm. Suki's health had deteriorated, falling into a feverish daze in which she would mumble and swipe out blindly with her arms, crying her husbands name. Sokka never left her side, clasping her hand in his own, his tired eyes refusing to look away from his pained and troubled wife. Katara had tried all she could to comfort her brother, even Toph had sat by him, a hand on his shoulder, but he failed to acknowledge any of them. His sister continued with the medication, though her fear of harming the baby had led for her to give Suki a treatment she knew wasn't sufficient for her. There were herbs she needed, things that could help, and with their echinacea stocks running low, she was growing all the more fearful that, before long, she would be forced to ask Sokka to make a choice between his wife and his unborn child. On the fifteenth day since the Avatar left them, she found herself stood before the Firelord, his exhausted face breaking what little hope she had remaining.

"Zuko?"

He looked up at her, his tiredness made only more evident by the ring of lamps surrounding them, casting an eery glow on his face. She hesitated for a moment, not wanting to burden him more, but knowing that she had little choice.

"Zuko, we have to do something."

He blinked at her, and for a second she was certain he was about to break down and sob in front of her, but that weak arch in his remaining brow soon creased sharply, anger etched across his features.

"What do you think I'm trying to do?" He snarled. "You think I've been idly sitting around just waiting for the storm to stop?"

Katara winced. "No, Zuko, that's not what I-"

"The rest of the world has abandoned us, Katara, I'm not sure if you've noticed?"

Katara frowned, taken back. "Zuko, they've not abandoned us. You know messages can't get through!"

"If that's what you believe then you're just as naive as _he_ was."

She mouthed wordlessly for a moment, shaking her head in disbelief. "He's trying to stop this. And he will. We just have to trust him."

Zuko let out a derisive snort of laughter. "Right, just like you and Sokka did, huh?"

The guilt cut through her like a knife, and she faltered, taking a step back, her hands curling into fists.

"What has gotten into you?" She hissed, feeling herself begin to shake.

Zuko glared at her, his nostrils flaring, his hands clenching the arms of his throne. He breathed heavily for a moment, before closing his eyes and looking down. He raised his hands to his head, shaking himself.

"I don't know," he groaned. "I'm sorry, I shouldn't have yelled at you like that."

She let out her own sigh of relief and resignation, before walking forward, climbing up onto the stone balcony upon which the Firelord's throne sat. She gently laid a hand on his shoulder.

"It's ok," she said quietly, as he looked up at her. "You're under a lot of pressure, Zuko, it's understandable that you're angry."

He sighed, slumping back into his throne.

"But we can't stay holed up here anymore," she continued. "We're running out of food, and Suki needs medicine. I can't do anything more for her, I can't heal this, as much as I want to, the infection is just too deep."

She stood straight before him and swallowed. "Someone needs to go and get help. There's nothing more anyone can do from inside the Capital."

"But I'll be sending them to their death!" Zuko cried, aghast. "You saw what happened to that fishing ship, people have already died."

"And we'll all die if we don't get help," Katara replied firmly. She saw the doubt in his eyes, his reluctance to make the move. "You don't have to worry about sending anyone against their will. I'll go."

His eyes snapped back to hers. "No, that's insane."

"What other choice is there?" She sighed, exasperated. "No one is coming."

The faced each other in silence, Zuko searching her eyes for signs of doubt, whilst she kept her gaze steady, resolute.

"Katara, I-"

"I'll be going with or without your permission," Katara said firmly. "You know that."

He shook his head once more. "You're insane, you know that? If Aang comes back and you're not here you'll know he'll blame me, right?"

Katara rolled her eyes. "Please, not even Aang could stop me going."

"I hope you're right about that," Zuko grumbled, running a hand through his hair. "I guess we'll have to get you a ship, and hopefully we can get enough people to volunteer as a crew. But what about Suki?"

Katara looked away, her heart hammering. "There's nothing more I can do right now. She needs medicine."

"Ok." Zuko looked her square in the eye and nodded. "Then do it."

Katara raised her chin in steely determination, her eyes shining for a moment, before turning to jump from the balcony. But, as she landed, they were suddenly welcomed by the sounds of horns, loud and disbelieving, the noise of sickening echo through the thick blankets of snow surrounding the Palace. She looked back at Zuko, eyes wide with alarm, and in an instant he had leaped to her side, and the pair turned and ran from the hall.

Try as she might, as she ran down the corridors, Katara couldn't help but think that this was Aang, that he and Appa had returned already. This could mean things had either gone very well, or they had gone very wrong. At the latter thought her stomach churned, and she pushed herself faster towards the battered Palace doors, Zuko quick at her heel.

They rounded the corner, seeing General Mamoru push open the heavy doors. They skidded to a halt, and Katara couldn't help but feel alarmed at the surprise of the General's face. Mamoru was rarely surprised.

"What is it? Is the Avatar back already?"

Mamoru shook her head. "No, Firelord Zuko. It's ... it's a ship. It looks Water Tribe."

"Dad?" Katara shared another look with Zuko, before gathering her furs around her and hurrying out into the snowy landscape beyond the four walls of the Palace. She couldn't understand why her father would choose to come back, unless he was worried about them. But leaving their tribe alone like that? She swallowed. There had to be something wrong. Together, the Firelord, the water bender and the General trudged through the snow, shielding their faces as they made their way down to the docks. Guards surrounded them, and Katara knew that this was new effort to protect Zuko from any angry towns folk. But for the moment, everyone was so preoccupied by the large ship at their docks that no one even noticed the Firelord and his convoy. As they neared, the tram system scarcely functioning in the heavy snow, Katara was able to get a good look at the almost ridiculously large vessel ahead of them. It towered over many of the buildings at the dock, and there was something needless flamboyant about it's appearance, curls decorating it's hull as if to replicated the waves of the ocean it sailed across.

"That's not a Southern Water Tribe ship," she said quietly.

"You mean we actually got word to the Northern Tribe?" Mamoru asked, surprised. "I thought all our hawks came back?"

"They did."

The pair looked back to see Zuko, somewhat stoney face, glaring darkly out at the ship before them.

"General be ready," he said coolly. "There is a chance this ship may not be friendly."

Mamoru nodded, her chin held high. "Yes, Firelord Zuko." She turned to the guards. "Keep formation at all times, expect an attack."

The five guards surrounding them squared their shoulders, their faces set.

As the tram came in to port, Mamoru and one of the guards went first, the remaining three surrounding Katara and Zuko. Katara kept one hand on her hip flask, flexing her other, ready to attack or defend, whichever was needed of her. She knew well of Aang's distrust of the Northern Water Tribes only female master, and though he had yet to explain his reservations, the look on Zuko's face when he saw the ship was enough of a clue that Innua certainly was not to be trusted. And with Hanh's hatred of the Fire Nation, and the Palace's weakened condition in the storm, there was still every possibility that this visit was a hostile one. As they closed in on the dock, the stern of the ship began to open, a great door revealing itself to them. A long slope began to extend from the front of the ship, so long that it almost reached straight at their feet, and for a moment the entrance remained dark, the eight companions tense, their stances that of defense. Around them citizens peered from their windows, or from behind buildings, unsure of whether they should approach to get a better look or not. At length, just as Katara was getting uneasy, a figure appeared in the opening, her dreadlocked hair pulled into an elaborate, or indeed messy bun, her lips painted blood red, a wide smile across her features.

"Hail, Firelord Zuko," she called, her voice crisp against the cold air. "We heard that the Fire Nation was struggling in the blizzard, and so I come bearing supplies. Will you have us?"

There was silence for a moment, the girl, dressed in a sleeveless coat, looked down in amusement.

"No need to be so defensive, Firelord Zuko," she said playfully. "Rest assure, there are no soldiers on this ship. We'd stand no chance against you in a fight."

Zuko took a deep breath, exchanging glances with Katara and Mamoru before stepping forward.

"Welcome, Master Innua," he called back. "Forgive us for being cautious. As you can imagine we've been cut off for a while."

Innua began to walk down the slope, her cerulean eyes appraising the city drowning in snow.

"You don't seem to have fared so well," she commented, that half smile still plastered across her face. She continued to walk forward, before coming to a stop before Zuko. "Aren't you lucky I'm here?"


	15. Chapter 15

It took Aang a moment to truly work out where he was, to understand that he had been pulled once more from the Mortal World into the Spirit one. Despite being in his corporeal form, he felt he could almost feel the push and pull of the sea breeze around him, the sound of the water lapping against the deep dark stone beneath his feet almost lulling him into a sense of peace. But there was one very distinct presence that attracted all of his attention.

"It's good to see you again, Aang."

He looked upon his predecessor, a well of emotion burning in his throat that he wasn't at all prepared for. He felt simultaneously relieved and guilty to see Roku once more after breaking his bond with the old Avatar years before, and his voice caught in his throat as he tried to speak.

"Roku ..."

Before he could finish, Roku had stepped forward, arms outstretched, and drew him into a hug. After a seconds hesitation Aang fell gratefully into the old Avatar's embrace. Aang had grown, yet Roku still towered over him, and he buried his face into the old man's shoulder, frighting back the tears that threatened to cascade down his face.

"Roku ... I'm so sorry. I-"

"It's ok, Aang," Roku said softly.

"No," Aang mumbled, shaking his head. "It's not ok. I was stupid, I- I'm so sorry, Roku."

Roku stepped back, holding Aang at arms length, his expression solemn as he looked upon his young successor.

"Aang, you did what you felt you needed to do. You, of all people, should know that there is nothing to gain from regret, that we should never linger on our decisions of the past."

Aang averted his gaze, his chest aching from the mix of relief and guilt stirring inside of him, feeling undeserving of Roku's forgiveness. Roku uttered a sad sigh, shaking his head.

"You've changed, Aang," he said quietly.

Aang met his gaze. "I had to."

Roku's eyes briefly widened in surprise, his grip loosening on Aang's shoulders, before a sadness set in across his features.

"No, Aang. We don't need to change who we are. We can adapt, but to change who we truly are, even as the Avatar, is to welcome failure into our hearts."

Aang stepped back from Roku, the old man's arms dropping from his shoulders, and he shook his head in disbelief.

"But I've caused this," he said, his heart hammering. "This is my fault."

Roku frowned. "What are you talking about, Aang?"

"I let it happen." He felt a panic rise to his chest. "Tonrar could control me because I let him, I let everything get so out of control, I abandoned the Air Temples, I couldn't deal with my emotions, I cut my link to the past Avatars ... I thought I could deal with this alone, I thought that I _had_ to deal with this alone. But I was wrong. I've already cut everyone out, and now things are worse than ever and it's my fault."

He looked out across the expanse of water that surrounded them, the truth of his words hitting him like a rock, leaving him all but reeling in the gentle breeze.

"I'm trying to fix it," he said. "But I just feel so lost."

Roku watched him for a time, empathy etched across his features, before finally taking a deep breath and placing a hand on Aang's shoulder.

"You have achieved more in your short eighteen years than many could have hoped to achieve in a lifetime," he said softly. Aang looked up at him, still so doubtful. "If anyone can stop this from happening, I believe that it is you."

"But how can you still have faith in me after all this?" Aang protested. "How can you truly believe that I-" he stopped, his stomach suddenly sinking. "It's because you have no choice. I'm the only hope left."

Roku sighed.

"Aang, you were the only one who had the power to defeat Firelord Ozai, to end the Hundred Year War, to bring balance to the world once more. I have faith in you not only because you're the only one who can stop this, but because only you have the strength of mind and soul to finally bring an end to all of this."

"But I don't know what I'm doing!" Aang cried, suddenly feeling frustrated. "I don't know how I'm supposed to find Koh! If I can't find anything at the Eastern Air Temple I have no idea what else I can do."

"You'll find Koh," Roku assured him. "I trust that you will."

Aang looked up at him before taking a deep breath, unconsciously wrapping his arms about himself as he looked out across the water once more.

"Why did you bring me here?"

Roku's face grew stern, the corners of his mouth dropping grimly as he crossed his arms under his sleeves, regarding Aang with a steely gaze.

"Do you know the identity of the Spirit hunting Koh?"

Aang's eyes shot back towards Roku's and, for a moment, he hesitated. Innua's cruel expression flashed before his eyes, those red lips opening to reveal that dangerous smile, that glint in her eyes that chilled him to the very bones. The idea had felt so ludicrous before yet, as his stood in this strange place it suddenly felt so real he could choke. He clenched his fists, and took a deep breath.

"Innua."

Roku allowed just one solitary nod.

"She told me that Koh had stolen something from her," Aang continued. "Her father's face. Does that mean ... Innua's father-" he felt his voice falter, his breath catch in his throat. "Her father is Tonrar."

Roku nodded once more. "She is half Spirit. Born to a mortal mother. Creatures like Innua shouldn't exist, they shouldn't be possible. Yet, somehow, nineteen years ago, long before you ever freed from the iceberg, Tonrar was able to impregnant a woman from the Northern Water Tribe. And this girl is the result."

Though Aang had already suspected that Tonrar was Innua's father, despite how wrong it seemed, hearing it from someone elses lips, knowing that it was true, left him reeling. It all made sense to him now ... why Innua would haunt him, why she somehow terrified him, why she had been so keen to stack up his bending skills against her own. Why she had wanted to know how it had felt to be under Tonrar's control.

"Aang," Roku's voice woke Aang from his thoughts. "You have to find Koh before she does."

"What will happen if I don't?" Aang's voice was hushed, a guarded apprehension wavering it's tone.

"Then the World will end." Roku raised his chin, fixing Aang with a stern gaze. "Only once before has a hole been torn between the Worlds, and there is only one Spirit remaining with the knowledge of how to close it."

"Koh." The bitter reality of it was almost enough to make Aang laugh.

Roku nodded. "If Innua gets to Koh before you do, if she slays him like I'm sure she intends to, there will be no hope left to save your World."

Aang shook his head, starting to pace back and forth across the peninsula. "How can I possibly find Koh in time?" He cried, almost hysterical. "A Spirit came. Her name was Gotami, and she told one of the Acolytes that I had to find Koh before the year was out ... that the World could not hold on any longer than that. Roku, I have an entire_ world_ to search! I don't even know where to start!"

Roku sighed sadly. "I'm sorry, Aang, but with that I cannot help you. I cannot look past the Spirit World unless through you, and I'm afraid Koh left here a long time ago."

Aang felt his hands start to shake, the enormity of the task before him suddenly hitting him like a rock. "Do you know where the tear is?" He asked, trying to fight back the plea in his voice.

Roku looked down, shaking his head. "I'm sorry."

Aang's breathing became ragged, unsteady. "All anyone can tell me is that I need to find Koh!" He cried. "But no one has any idea where he is! Surely if you know he's left the Spirit World you must have some idea of where he could have gone? Of where would be safe for him?"

"Koh did not want any Spirit to know of his where abouts, but it came clear that he had left the Spirit World the moment the tree began to rot. But, so long as it remains standing, we can be sure that, somewhere, Koh is still alive."

"But he must know the World is going to end?" Aang continued, exasperated. "Why hide in a World that is about to be destroyed? Why can't he fix the tear now?" Aang stopped pacing, looked up at Roku desperately. "Roku how am I supposed to find him?"

Roku stepped forward, his hand once more taking Aang's shoulder. "Go to the Eastern Air Temple," he said softly. "Continue on this journey and I am certain that, in time, the answer will come to you."

Aang shook his head in frustration, his gaze dropping to the waves lapping at the shoreline.

"I hope you're right," he said quietly.

"Now go, Aang." Roku took his hand from his shoulder, crossing his arms beneath his sleeves. "I have faith in you."

Aang had time to look back into the old man's face, a sadness swimming in his eyes, before he was pulled once more from the Spirit World, the smell of hay and warmth of the shack around him bringing him back into the Mortal World. For a moment he just looked at the golden figurine before him, his heart beating in the bottom of his stomach, before turning and leaving the shrine behind him. Xing Ying looked up from the her seat before the fire, her expression of anticipation falling into that of sadness when she saw the look on his face.

"You spoke to Roku." Xing Ying's statement was indication that she was happy not to talk about it if he wasn't ready, but Aang could clearly see the curiosity in her eyes.

"I spoke to Roku."

He sat down opposite her, crossing his arms across his knees, staring into the fire.

"Did-"

"He couldn't help me," Aang interrupted. "He doesn't know where Koh is, he doesn't know where the tear is. But he did tell me one thing."

Xing Ying shifted closer, her wide eyes not leaving his face.

"Innua is the Spirit who's hunting Koh."

Xing Ying blinked, her head tilting slightly as she regarded him as if he had become some sort of mad man. "But, Aang, Innua isn't a spirit."

"She is half Spirit," Aang continued, feeling sick as he said it. "I know how insane it sounds, trust me. But it's true."

"But, then, what are we worried about?"

Aang looked up in surprise, completely taken back by the almost humorous tone of her voice, and the bright look on her face.

"Huh?"

"If Innua's the one who's after Koh then all we've got to do is stop her right? Capture Innua, lock her away somewhere until it's over, and then you haven't got to worry about her getting to Koh first."

Aang gaped at her for a second, wondering briefly whether it could work. But then he remembered how easily she had taken him down, how she seemed to appear as if from nowhere, the way she seemed to get into his head.

"I don't think it'll be as easy as all that," he said quickly. "Innua isn't just a normal person, she's half Spirit, who knows what she's actually capable of?"

"Well, the Spirits themselves aren't always dangerous are they?" Xing Ying pushed. "She can't have the power to stop all of us if we worked together?"

"I think she has more power than you think," Aang replied.

"Why?" Xing Ying seemed irritated now, fixing Aang with a hurt glare.

"On account of who her father is."

"Who's her father?"

Aang sighed, returning her gaze. "Tonrar."

There was a silence that followed his reply, Xing Ying's mouth falling slack and she gaped at him, her eyes wide with disbelief.

"We have one up on her," Aang continued, forcing a confidence to his voice. "Innua still thinks Koh is in the Spirit World. We know he's not. We continue to the Eastern Air Temple as planned. We find Koh first."

Xing Ying closed her mouth, a empathetic shimmer in her eyes as she looked over at him, and nodded.

"Get some sleep," Aang said, standing to grab the blankets from the pack rested against Appa's hay-filled stomach. "We need to be up at first light."

Xing Ying took the blanket, watching him carefully for a moment before lying down and rolling her back to the fire. Aang settled down, lying on his back as he stared up at the notched and ancient stone and wood that laced the roof of the shack. In time he drifted off to sleep, and in his nightmares that night, as he gave up his face to Koh, Innua stood beside the insectile beast, her red lips spread wide and she laughed and laughed and laughed ...

~

Back in the Fire Nation, Katara sat crossed legged at the long mahogany table decorating the center of the Firelord's warmly lit throne room. Her expression was stoney and guarded as she looked upon the men and women that surrounded her, dressed in their very best suits and robes, wearing an expression of well practiced regality and respect. At the head of the table sat Zuko, his head held high as he regarded the people before him, his eyes often drifting to his wife, who sat beside him, and Katara knew that Mai had her knives and daggers hidden within the sleeves and folds of her elaborate high necked dress. General Mamoru sat on the other side of Zuko, strategically placing herself in the best position to protect the Firelord and Lady should the need arise. Many of the officials sat around the table weren't quite aware of the potential danger that lurked amongst them, instead enjoying the rare feast before them and the opportunity to exercise their muscles of small talk and dignitary. But Katara was not so fooled for, two seats down from her, sat a woman she knew instinctively they should not trust.

Innua sat at her place at the table, her signature smile on her lips and she delicately pierced the food on her plate. Her gaze flitted between the four of them at the head of the table, her eyes particularly favouring Katara, a soft smirk playing across her face each time the pair made eye contact. Katara kept her head high, letting no emotion show in her face aside from quiet respect. She wore one of her best dresses, the low fur neckline elegantly gracing her shoulders, her trademark blue contrasting against her tan skin, her experience with formal events leaving her intimidating to almost any other women on the table. Yet Innua never flinched from her gaze, indifferent to the firm set of Katara's jaw line.

"So," Innua asked at length, holding up her fork to inspect the meat she had skewered. "Where is the Avatar?"

Katara and Zuko exchanged a quick glance, a glance not missed by Innua, who looked between the pair, her eyes sparkling with amusement.

"He has other errands that he needed to attend to," Zuko answered.

In truth, the four of them sat at the head of the table had wanted nothing more than to turn Innua away, send her and her ship back across the ocean to the North Pole. But the simple fact was that they needed her. They were running out of food, medication, supplies, if Zuko had turned her away he would have condemned his people to a far worse fate.

"Oh?" Innua replied. "I imagine it has something to do with this blizzard, no?"

Zuko face twitched into a half smile, and Katara had to hold back a growl.

"Yes." Zuko took a sip of blood red wine, watching Innua over the rim of the glass.

Innua leaned forward on the table, resting on her elbows, picking up her own glass and swirling the red liquid within. "So what does the Avatar know about this storm?"

At that, the dignitary's at the table all pricked their ears with interest, looking between Innua and Zuko. Katara glanced across at them warily, knowing full well that Innua had intentionally asked such a giving question.

"In truth he knows nothing," Zuko said, not missing a beat, his eyes regarding the master waterbender with polite interest. "But he felt that it was his duty to at least investigate it."

"Ah," Innua leaned back, tapping her fingers on the table. "Well, that makes sense. And I imagine to some people, not me of course, but to some people it could have looked as though the Avatar was favouring the Fire Nation in this difficult time." She looked sideways at Zuko.

"That, of course, is not true," Zuko replied curtly. "He just happened to be here when the storm started."

"Oh, I have no doubt about that. But you can surely understand that to the other two Nations that the Avatar has a duty to, it must be more than a little concerning. After all, it's not the first time that Avatar Aang has shown favouritism towards the Fire Nation." Zuko narrowed his eyes at her, and Innua just grinned. "I, of course, don't feel that way. But you cannot deny that it may seem odd to the other Nation leaders."

Katara glanced between Innua and Zuko, hoping that the latter would be strong enough to take the bait.

"The Avatar has equal loyalty to each of the Nations," the Firelord replied, his tone even. "And rest assure he is off proving that right now."

"I have complete faith in that, Firelord Zuko," Innua said, raising her drink to him. Once more her eyes flitted towards Katara, fixing her with an amused look. Katara blinked slowly, refusing to be the first to look away.

"So what does the Northern Water Tribe know of this storm?" She asked. "There have been rumours that it's not as bad up there."

Innua raised her eyebrows. "Has there? Well, how curious a thing. Though, I imagine in the Earth Kingdom there are rumours that the Fire Nation isn't as badly affected, or the South Pole. But no, the storm is every bit as bad in the North Pole as it is everywhere else, the only difference is we're equipped to deal with it. The winter storms back home are far worse than anything even you have experienced in the South Pole, I'm sure."

A further silence followed her words, Katara, Zuko, Mai and Mamoru left to ponder her words whilst Innua looked on in amusement.

"How long do you intend to stay here?" Mai asked suddenly, drawing the table's attention to her. Her voice was drier than usual, her uninterested gaze still on her food. "Will we be putting you up for any length of time?"

Innua smiled, sitting up straight. "I was hoping that you would be comfortable letting me and my small crew stay here for a week or two."

Zuko's eyes twitched at that, though his polite smile persevered.

"The journey hasn't been terribly easy for them," Innua continued. "One of my men fell overboard when the waves got particularly rough. As a result he has hypothermia, so it would be appreciated if we could stay inland whilst we treat him."

"I'm very sorry to hear that," Zuko said quietly. "Katara could take a look at him, if you would like?"

She looked across at Zuko sharply.

"Couldn't you, Katara?"

His last words were oddly bright, forced, and she immediately got what he was hinting at. If this was just some attempt to stay in the Fire Nation for longer, there was a chance that there was no man at all.

"Of course," she replied, smiling at Innua. "I would be glad to see what I can do to help."

If they had expected Innua to come up with excuses they were to be soorly disappointed when her eyes brightened, a grin spreading across her face. "Thank you, Master Katara, that would be very much appreciated, indeed."

She sensed rather than saw Zuko falter. Either Innua was playing a game with them, or she was telling the truth.

"I'm curious, though," Katara continued, picked up her glass and taking a sip. "Surely you're a healer too? Can't you help him?"

Innua's smile faded slightly, her eyes suddenly flashing dangerously, letting Katara see for the first time what it was about this woman that left Aang so on edge.

"I had no interested in healing," she said, a hint of annoyance tainting her otherwise well honed patience. "Why learn healing when I could spend my time becoming a master waterbender?"

"You couldn't do both?"

That dangerous flash suddenly died down, become more manipulative, and Innua grinned at her once more, before shrugging her shoulders.

"Well, I suppose we can't all me master's like you, Katara."

She faltered, her nostrils flaring, but she shot the woman a small smile as if in thanks.

"Well, Zuko, if you don't mind I need to go and check on Suki."

Katara rose from the table, and Zuko nodded. Innua suddenly placed her cutlery down, before standing in turn.

"And I have to check on my man with the hypothermia," she said, almost brightly. Zuko raised his hand to signal one of the guards at the door, but Innua cut across him. "Don't worry, I'm more than capable of finding my way back down there on my own. I expect myself, General Hanh and the crew will be back here in the hour for our rooms."

"General Hanh is here too?" Zuko asked, frowning. "Surely he should be at Chief Arnook's side."

"Chief Arnook preferred that the General accompany me on this mission, after all, giving supplies to our neighbouring Nation is very important indeed."

With that, she gave the Firelord and Lady a brief curtsey, before turning and walking out the doors. Katara gritted her teeth, cast one last meaningful glance with Zuko, before following her out.

Innua had already vanished from sight by the time she passed the doors, and although she was dying to follow the Northern girl, she had left Suki for much too long already. With a heavy sigh she turned left down the corridor, headed towards the infirmary. She hadn't got far, however, before a cool feminine voice stopped her in her tracks.

"Master Katara."

She looked back over her shoulder to see Innua standing not far behind, a small box hitch up against her hip. She eyed the box curiously, it's dark black wood looking almost unnatural against the blue's of Innua's coat.

"What can I do for you, Innua?" She asked, sure to keep her hand not far from the hip flask that she had insisted she wear to the dinner. Innua seemed to notice, as she ever did, and smirked openly.

"Oh relax, I'm not going to do anything. I just have a gift for you. Here." She held out the dark box, and after a moment's hesitation Katara stepped forward, regarding the object.

"What is it?" She asked, raising her gaze to Innua, watching her cautiously.

"Open it and find out," Innua chuckled, grinning broadly.

She searched her eyes for a moment, before finally taking the wooden box, its weight alien in her hand. She hesitated once more, before gently lifting the lid from it, holding back a gasp when she saw what was inside.

"Echincea and huang qi root ..." She looked sharply up at Innua. "How did you know?"

Innua shrugged. "You know how news travels."

"No, not really," she replied quietly, fighting to stop her hands from trembling.

"It's very strange how your waterbending wasn't able to heal her, isn't it?" Innua asked. "Pneumonia should have been child's play for a master healer such as yourself. Still, I'm sure in a week or two she'll be feeling much better. Goodnight." She raised her hand, before turning and walking off down the hallway.

"Tell me how you knew!" Katara called after her, her body trembling, her mind racing. But as she decided to give chase, rounding the corner down which Innua had turned, she found herself alone in the corridor, dread filling her stomach.

A little later, Katara found herself standing outside of Suki's room at the infirmary, the box held in her hands, her expression grim as she looked through the gap in the door at the woman lying upon the bed. Suki's face was grey, cold perspiration dripping down her forehead, her damp hair clinging to her face as she shivered and trembled in the bed. Sokka kept his constant vigil at her side, his own frame skinnier than was usual, his eyes permanently lined with worry and exhaustion. She shook her head, looking back down at the black box in her hands, the contents almost too good to be true. How had Innua known? Further more, she had voiced a question she had been asking herself from beginning. Why couldn't she heal Suki? She had brought Aang back from the dead, but she wasn't able to heal a simple illness? She had told herself that the infection had spread deep, that there was just too much of it for her hands to heal, but the truth was she had felt nothing but shame, frustration and confusion at the fact that she hadn't been able to take away Suki's pain. Quietly she stroked the bottle of echincea extract with her fingers, watching the honey coloured liquid within react flow gently against her touch. She couldn't fight the feeling that Innua had somehow planned all of this, that the contents of the bottle wasn't what it promised to be. If Innua had intended to poison Suki, for whatever purpose, what better way to do it than through medicine she desperately needed. She shut her eyes tight, taking her hand from the bottle. Would Innua truly wish to poison Suki? And why? What would she have to gain from it?

"Sokka!"

She looked up sharply, to see Suki thrashing in her bed, her feverish daze giving way to another attack of delirium, her hands desperately waving out in search of her husband's. Sokka stood, taking her hands and holding them to his chest.

"Shh, Suki, shh," he raised her hands to his lips, kissing them gently as tears fell down his cheeks. "It's ok, I'm here."

Suki mumbled in her confusion, her eyes shutting once more as she collapsed back into the bed.

"Dammit," Katara hissed, shaking her head, tightening her grip on the box. As fearful as she was of Innua's intentions, of how she had known about Suki and how she had not been able to heal her, Suki wasn't going to last much longer in this state. The herbs before her may be too good to be true, but at this stage she knew that it was the only chance that Suki head. With a deep sigh, she pushed her way through the door, trying to force a bright smile on her face as Sokka looked up at her.

"We have medicine," she said softly, holding the box out to him. "I think I can save her."

More tears fell down her brothers ragged face, and he collapsed beside his wife, gripping her hands tight.


	16. Chapter 16

The sun rose, as it ever did, over a cold and unforgiving landscape. Rolling and ever moving hills and peaks of snow drifted across the dry ice desert, and though the sun was high in the sky, only cold white rays made it to the surface of this unusual yet beautiful scene. Whilst the rest of the world experienced a hurricane of wind and snow, each bare face battered by that biting, unforgiving freeze, the South Pole remained as it ever had. Quiet, still, and deceptively calming.

Despite their apparent peace, not one member of the Southern Water Tribe felt the least bit reassured. They were cut off from the rest of the world by what appeared to be a wall of pure malice, heavy snow, lightning and impossible winds battering the ocean that surrounded the southern land only a mile out to sea on each side. It was as though something wanted to keep the South Pole separate from the rest of the world, and no matter how hard any of them tried, no one had been able to break through that wall and contact the other Nations.

But the wall was not their only concern. Ever since the Avatar had left for the Fire Nation several months back, there had been a growing unease across the Tribe members. Chief Hakoda had felt it early on, as if someone, or something, had been watching him. As he walked through the small village he called home late at night he couldn't shake the feeling that, hiding in the shadows, something stalked him, waiting for the perfect moment to strike. It had become clear as the weeks went by that he was not the only one who felt this way. Many tribe members refused to leave their homes after dark yet, even in the bright safety of their home, this sense of foreboding settled over everyone. As the months went by the presence grew, the storm worsened, and Hakoda had been forced to call a meeting, requesting that each Tribe member, adult or child, joined him. Everyone spoke of their fear, how trapped they felt, and the absolute certainty that something shared these icy flats with them. At length, Hakoda had offered that he and a few of his strongest followers set off in search of whatever it was that was plaguing them, to which Bato and Nutha immediately volunteered.

"Are you sure, Nutha?" Hakoda had asked. "It could be very dangerous, and you are only young."

Nutha had scowled and scoffed. "Just because I'm a woman doesn't mean I can't take care of myself," she said. "I have my sister to take care of, and something is threatening us. I'm coming."

Hakoda had shared a concerned look with his long time friend, Bato, but Nutha had already stood, stalking off to her home to prepare for the coming expedition.

The following morning the three of them met outside of Hakoda's hut, dressed in their warmest clothing, packs upon their backs, weapons sheathed and concealed about their person. Hakoda turned to Nutha, putting a hand upon her shoulder.

"Are you absolutely sure?" He asked softly, but in response the girl raised her scimitar, securing it between her back and her pack, her solid expression never changing. Hakoda sighed, before nodding and stepping back.

"Well, let's get going, we can't waste any daylight."

Shrugging his pack further up his shoulder Bato took his place beside Hakoda, and the three of them set off across the vast expanse of snow and ice that stood before them, leaving the village and the shore behind them.

For the first twenty minutes, the group was still unsure whether or not they were headed in the right direction, or indeed if they were even going to find anything. Though this barren land was their home, and though each rise and fall of snow was familiar to all of them, there was this undeniable sense that they were walking into a land that was soon to become alien. With each step, landmarks became fewer and far between and, though none of them were prepared to say it out loud, each were coming to the conclusion that this was just going to end up a pointless exercise. How could they possibly hope, in the great expanse of land that made up the South Pole, that they would stumble upon whatever weirdness had been plaguing them? Hakoda sighed at the thought, but lowered his head and forced himself to continue forward, his two companions taking his lead.

However, as the hour rolled into it's second half, the three of them found themselves stopping. Panic rose in Hakoda's chest as he felt that same presence that had haunted them for months suddenly start to crush in on him. He turned to Bato and Nutha, whose frightened faces confirmed that they felt it too.

"Do you think we're close?" Nutha whispered, shivering despite her warm furs.

"I'm sure of it," Hakoda replied, his voice equally low. He looked out across the icy desert, completely flat with only a light wind picking up the odd snowflake here and there. There was nothing to be seen, nowhere for anything to hide, yet still that presence remained. A certain darkness pressing against his head.

"At least we know we're going in the right direction." Hakoda turned back to their path. "Come on."

As they walked, the weight of the presence grew heavier, groggier, sicker. It wasn't so much a sensation of being watched now as it was just pure dread. Hakoda felt as though it was trying to push them back, turn them away from their path, and as fearful as he felt at this point, as much as he saw his companions feet start to drag, their eyes darting back behind them with longing, he continued forward.

"Something doesn't want us to find it," Bato hissed at length, his hand gripping the bone club tucked in his belt. "I'm starting to think maybe we should just do as it says."

Hakoda glanced back at his friend, a man braver than any he had met, who had stood his ground against countless Fire Nation soldiers, and his fear only deepened.

"No," he muttered. "We keep going."

"Are you sure about that?" Nutha echoed. "I think Bato's right. I feel like I'm going insane pushing against it."

Hakoda stopped, curling his hands into fists and taking a deep breath.

"I have to know," he said. "Whatever this is isn't going away, and I can't stand not knowing what's out here. You can both go back if you wish, but I'm not stopping."

Nutha and Bato exchanged looks, their minds foggy with a screaming fear that threatened to overtake them. Nutha snarled, grabbing her spear from her back and holding it before her.

"I'm not stopping either," she said forcefully.

Bato sighed, his hand gripping tighter around his club, and nodded. Once more, the three of them set off, their feet dragging in the snow, their hands starting to tremble with the effort of fighting off the sickening presence. Before long, as they reached the top of a particularly snowy peak, they came across a sight that stopped them dead in their tracks.

Before them was a land dip even larger than the entire of their village put together. The air felt thick, foul and rotten. A series of rocks and peaks lay against one of the outer walls, stones of great size and girth that they dwarfed their own homes and huts. But, what drew their attention over everything else was the deep inky blackness of the mouth of a cave, set into the rocks, a sight so ominous that Hakoda felt himself shaking.

"What do you think is in there?" Nutha breathed.

Hakoda drew his scimitar and bone club from the sheath across his back.

"Let's find out." He looked back at them. "Are you ready?"

Nutha nodded, both hands gripping around her spear and scowling down at the cave before them. Bato pulled out his own club, kissing it gently for a second before holding it out before him.

"Ready."

The three frightened yet determined companions made their way down the slope, each acutely aware of the difficult position that the land dip offered, and how undesirable their only escape route proved to be. As they drew closer, the mouth of the cave seemed to grow, so dark that it was almost impossible for them to see any further than a few feet into it's entrance. The air tasted foul, a stench like rancid meat hitting them smack in the face, and they covered their faces with their arms.

"Spirits it stinks," Bato choked. "It's like something died in there."

"Or dying," Nutha added. They grew all the more uneasy at this.

When they stood before the entrance, it became clear that there was no way they could go into their cave blind. Though it was bright outside, the darkness of the cave seemed impenetrable, as though the darkness itself was great breathing beast. Hakoda pulled three torches from his pack, handing each of them out, before pulling a piece of flint from his pocket. Carefully he struck the stone against the blade of his spear, sparks setting Bato's torch a light. Once the flame had grown strong enough, Nutha and Hakoda pressed their own torches against his, before turning with a steely determination back towards the cave.

"Be prepared for anything," Hakoda said, before the three of them took their first steps on the dark stone.

The cave was dark, it was rancid, it was damp, and it was terrifying. Despite the three torches held aloft, it was difficult to make out anything more than four or five feet ahead of them, and the trio stayed close, weapons held forward, their senses alert to every single echo. Each drip and crack across the cave sounded like a monster, like a great predator licking its teeth ahead of them. But when the creature hidden deep within the cave finally moved, it was unmistakable. Hakoda froze, Bato and Nutha drawing close to him as the sound of a huge mass dragged itself across the floor. They held their torches forward, desperate to make out what they had uncovered, yet only briefly did that catch sight of sickening dark flesh slithering and curling in front of them before it drew itself further into the darkness.

"I have met many humans in my time," came a voice, male and silken. "Though I think by far you are the most foolish."

Hakoda draw his weapon close to him.

"Show yourself, monster," he hissed, ignoring the hammering of his heart against his chest.

There was the sound of more slithering, a clicking against the stone. "Trust me, human, when I tell you that you do not want me to see you." There was a distinct wheeze to the creatures voice, almost as though the very act of speaking was too strenuous, and in that voice Hakoda already felt his chance.

"What are you? Why have you come here?"

"Why would I tell you that?" Asked the voice, amused. A series of shifts and clicks followed as it dragged itself across the stone. "And it is you who have trespassed upon my home."

"The South Pole is our home, not yours!" Nutha snarled. At that, the creature laughed.

"Ah, so he sent you to play against my sympathies, did he?"

Hakoda glanced back at his companions, confusion etched across their features.

"Who are you talking about?" Hakoda asked, sensing the creature dragging itself slowly closer to them.

"Oh don't play games with me," the creature spat. "He was too cowardly to risk losing his own face, so he sends you instead. I should have known, really."

At that, Hakoda felt panic spread across his entire body, his limbs trembling. _There's one, his name is Koh. The Face Stealer_. Aang's words from all those months gone suddenly sprang to mind, kicking and screaming along the way. _He can only steal a face when it shows emotion._

"Put out the torches!" He yelled, dropping his own and stamping on it.

"What?" Bato cried, confused.

"Put them out!" He screamed.

The creature dragged itself forward, the ground trembling as it threw itself towards them. Nutha and Bato threw their torches to the floor, stamping on the fire, the last embers revealing a huge insectile creature leaping towards them, it's head a large empty hole as it screamed in triumph, rows of fangs crawling out from the gaping mouth. But as the light died, it stopped, letting out a growl of frustration as it fell inches from Hakoda's face. He could smell it so strongly now, the scent almost overpowering. He felt the Spirit's breath against his face, before it let out a small laugh.

"I was starting to think that he didn't warn me about you at all."

"Hakoda what's going on?" Came Bato's panicked voice. "What is this monster?"

"Koh," he whispered, frozen into place.

"Koh? What the spirits is a koh?" Nutha cried frantically.

Koh laughed once more, though his throat sounded painful and constricted. "I _am_ a spirit," he chuckled. "Now get out of here. Tell that Avatar of yours that I refuse to speak to anyone else, and if he sends anybody else I will take their face."

"Let's go." Hakoda reached out for his companions, grabbing their arms and dragging them back the way they came.

"I'll be waiting," Koh called, before pulling his great swollen body back into the depths of the cave.

"What the hell just happened, Chief?" Nutha hissed. Hakoda ignored her, continuing to drag the pair towards the cave exit, his feet moving fast beneath him. In time the welcome sight of sunlight filtered through the cave, a cool fresh breeze hitting their faces, and with one last burst of speed the ran from the cave. Hakoda had barely a chance to back from the cave before Nutha rounded on him.

"What just happened?" She cried, almost hysterical. "How did you know it's name?"

Hakoda panted for a moment, whilst Bato flopped onto the snow, his own chest rising heavily.

"Chief!"

He took a deep breath, running his hand through his hair before turning to Nutha. "That was Koh. He's a spirit, a spirit that steals faces ... Aang told me about him a long time ago. But I had no idea ... what he's doing here ... I don't understand what this means."

Nutha looked as though she was about to explode, here eyes flashing, her teeth bared. "Aang! The Avatar!" She threw her hands in the air. "So first he takes your children away from you, then he leads some great evil spirit here who _kills_ your mother, then the Avatar almost kills your _children_, he tried to kill your daughter, and now there's a spirit that steals _faces_ here waiting to speak with him!" Hakoda looked up warily and she continues to snarl. "How can you keep protecting him?! The Avatar is going to get this entire Tribe killed! Your family! Your people!"

"That's enough."

Her mouth snapped shut as he glared at her, nostrils flaring.

"I have not been protecting him, but he is the Avatar. We all have to have faith that he knows what he's doing."

Nutha shook her head in disbelief. "But you don't believe that, do you? You don't have faith in him at all."

Hakoda avoided her gaze, looking back into the cave before them.

"Let's go," he said, grabbing his weapons from the floor. "We need to get word to the Avatar. One way or another."

Bato watching his friend in silence as he turned to walk back towards their village. He placed a hand on Nutha's shoulder, and after exchanging a meaningful look, the pair followed their Chief out of the rancid, rotten land dip and back towards home.

"What are you doing?"

Chief Hakoda brushed impatiently by his old friend, carrying upon his shoulder a large pack full of bedding and other supplies, his bone club held over his other.

"This is insane!"

Hakoda chucked the supplies into his large wooden boat, ignoring Bato's pleas.

"Hakoda you will get your self killed!"

The Chief continued back to the shore, this time whistling and calling over Hawky, Sokka's old messenger hawk that had since found itself living amongst them in the South Pole after it was unable to deliver it's last message back to it's old master. The bird swiftly landed on his outstretched hand.

"Hakoda will you listen to me!"

He turned sharply back to Bato, his expression stoney.

"Bato I haven't another choice. That Spirit is dangerous, and if we can't get a message through to the Avatar then I'm going to have to find him myself."

Bato shook his head, reaching out and gruffly taking the hawk from his hand. The bird screeched, biting sharply down on the man's wrist before being let go and flying over to the ship. Bato snarled, grabbing his injured wrist and throwing a scowl at the animal. Before sighing and looking back at the Chief.

"We can't afford to lose you," he hissed. "Please, Hakoda, see sense. You've always trusted me before, why won't you trust me now?"

"Bato it's not a case of trust," Hakoda replied, exasperated. "I have to do something. Aang needs to know this Spirit is here ... it could be responsible for everything that's going on, for the storm out there, for why I haven't heard from my children in months. I can't sit here on my hands any more."

"Then send the bird," Bato pleaded. "Just one more time, if it can't make it through that wall it'll be back before the day is out."

Hakoda shook his head, reaching out and taking his friend my the shoulders.

"My children are out there, Bato," he said softly. "We don't have the luxury of time any more. I have to try."

Bato looked into the Chief's eyes, his own searching for a way in, for a way to persuade him that leaving was an insane idea, but Hakoda stared back grimly and proudly, a determination in his eyes that Bato knew he was hopeless to fight against.

"Ok. Then at least let me come with you."

Hakoda raised his eyebrows, looking quickly back at the village behind them. "Bato you need to look after them. That Face Stealer is so close, I can't leave them unguarded."

"Dammit, man," Bato muttered.

Hakoda let go of his shoulders, shouldering the last of the supplies nearby, before climbing into his boat.

"You're making a mistake!" Bato called. Hakoda looked sadly back at him.

"Let's hope not."

And with that Hakoda pulled free the anchor, steam rising from the funnel as the boat broke free of the shoreline. He glanced back at the village, before turning has back and settling to steer his passage across the short expanse of water before the wall of storm and electricity would face him.

It took the Chief almost an hour to get close to the wall. Hawky sat perched at the head of the ship, uneasy yet loyal, whilst Hakoda sat at his place by the rudder, carefully steering his way through the swelling ocean. His sails were raised, and though he knew he couldn't have put anyone else in danger for this particular mission, he was already feeling the pressure of navigating through increasingly aggressive water on his own. He hadn't even reached the wall yet and he was drenched, large waves washing water across the floor of his ship, cold winds beating across his face. Though he hated to admit it, in this moment he found himself thinking over the words that Nutha had all but screamed at him as they had escaped Koh's hiding place. _The Avatar is going to get this entire Tribe killed_. Did he truly blame Aang for all that had happened to his family and his people in the past year? Could he blame Aang for the presence of this dangerous Spirit in his home? As if in defiance, he growled and shook his head. No. It wasn't Aang's fault ... he wouldn't allow something like this to happen, not after all he did to end the War and to bring peace and prosperity back to the world. Aang would do what was right. _But you don't believe that, do you? You don't have faith in him at all_. Unwilling, he thought back to how the boy had looked the last time he had seen him. He had been cracking, he had been cold towards his friends, he had seemed on the verge of a breakdown ... exhausted, emotional. Perhaps Aang just wasn't as well equipped to deal with this as everyone had thought he was. He had ended the Hundred Year War, that much was true, but something had had a huge impact on him since then. Something and whittled him down into a shadow of his former self. He was just a child, after all. A teenager at that. Bitterly he thought back to his own teenage years. All he had wanted to do was be a warrior, and he had been stubborn about it, rude even to his mother who had just wanted him to enjoy his childhood before it was over. But he had wanted to grow up, he couldn't wait to grow up. He had wanted to face the Firelord himself, take him down by his own hands, end the War and inflict the same level of suffering upon the Fire Nation that they had inflicted upon him and his family. But, he had still had a chance at childhood. With a stab to the gut he realised that Aang had never had that chance. He had been thrown into a War, and ever since, in those fragile teenage years of hormones and confusion and, often, pain, he had found himself a political leader. No wonder he had struggled.

A particularly heavy wave pushing against the side of his boat woke him from his reverie, and he looked around him, realising that the water was only growing more unsettled. The wall was almost in sight now, this dark ugly mass swirling and occasionally flashing before him, so angry and so violent.

_He tried to kill your daughter._

Hakoda shut his eyes right, trying to block out those particular words from his mind. He had no doubt that Aang loved Katara, no doubt that she loved him back, yet despite that he had still tried to kill her and the others under Tonrar's control. And since that moment the Avatar had fallen apart. And now, Koh the Face Stealer held it's vile body up in the South Pole, a horrendous and frightening storm brewed all around them, and he had no contact at all to his children, his children who could well be in danger right now. Bitterly he scowled ahead. Perhaps he no longer had faith in the Avatar after all.

A large jolt to the boat sent him flying, rolling painfully across the width of the ship, colliding hard with the wooden deck. Hawky screeched, taking flight before landing near him, trying to hide from the waves suddenly battering them on all sides. Wincing Hakoda pulled himself up onto his arms, looking up wildly around him at the swirling mass of the wall. The sound was deafening, the howling and crashing of the storm screaming out from it's constraints, its effect felt on the water that cascaded around them. With a grunt he pulled himself up, trying to take his place back at the rudder to steer his way through the waves.

"Hold on, Hawky!" He yelled, but he was swiftly thrown sideways as another wave crashed against them. In that instant he heard a sickening sound, looking over to see the right side wall of his boat bowing against the pressure. He panted, trying his best to pull them away from the beating, but as the wood finally cracked, creating a small ocean upon the deck of his boat, he finally conceded to the fact that Bato had been right. He hadn't even made it to the wall yet, it stood irritatingly close, yet his boat was already damaged, and fatally so. With a loud scream to the heavens he pulled himself up once more.

"Hawky!"

The bird, puffed up and frightened came to rest on his shoulder as Hakoda tried to balance himself.

"I'm sorry, but you're going to have to try this one more time."

The bird watched him with one brilliant amber eye as Hakoda pulled a pre-written letter from his chest pocket, attaching it securely in Hawky's pouch.

"You're our last hope, do you hear me?"

Hawky puffed up more, shaking against the cold.

"You have to find Sokka. Do you understand what I'm saying? _You have to find Sokka._"

With a cock of the head, Hawky let out a quiet squawk, those amber eyes considering the human once more before, against Hakoda's expectations, it took off and swirled up into the battering winds. Hakoda watched, heart pounding, as the bird fought against the winds, wings beating frantically to keep itself steady. Then, with one last loud cry, the hawk pushed forward, plunging into the swirling mass of elements before them. Knuckles white as he gripped to the side of the boat, Hakoda watched on and prayed.

**A/N: Fiiiinally! We see Koh! I figured as it's nearly Christmas I'd treat you all to an early upload. Plus, I've been itching to write this chapter ever since the start on Book 5, in fact I've been more excited for this than coming Kataang!**

**If I don't upload again before, Happy Holidays and a Merry Christmas.  
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	17. Chapter 17

It was part way through the third week when the young travelers finally found themselves looking upon the ancient trio of peaks that told them they had arrived at the Eastern Air Temple. It had suffered much during the Hundred Year War, perhaps the damage to this Temple was greater than that to the three remaining temples, yet proudly it still stood, and through the flurry of snow and wind, a certain calm came over the Avatar as he looked at the spiritual place where Avatar Yangchen had once grown and flourished.

"We're finally here," he breathed, and Appa let out a relieved groan.

"It's beautiful!" Xing Ying whispered in awe, leaning over Aang's shoulder.

The trees and vegetation surrounding the Temple had long since grown bare in the many weeks the biting wind had pressed down on them, and the roofs and courtyards were covered in ice and snow. Yet still the gentle curves of the bridges stood out in the darkness, the elegant peaks of each pagoda startling against the miserable grey of the sky above them. They soared over the circular arena where he had first met Guru Pathik and begun his journey of opening the chakras, and Appa flew them straight to the central island, keen to be in a place that held such familiarity and safety to him.

Though battered, the stone walls around them provided a shelter that they long ago learned to stop taking for granted. Aang let out a breath of relief, whilst Xing Ying remained on Appa's saddle, her mouth slack as she looked around the Temple in amazement.

"This is amazing ..."

Aang watched her as she slid from the saddle, walking as if in a dream and reaching out to touch the ancient moss-covered stone of the pillars.

"I can't believe I'm standing in an actual Air Nomad Temple! It's even more beautiful than I imagined."

"You should have seen it a hundred years ago," Aang replied, dropping from Appa's head to join her.

"Gosh if only ... it must have been amazing to grow up here, to have such freedom, fresh air all around you."

At that Aang's smile grew sad, and he looked out across the view before them. Even in the blizzard it was stunning.

"You know, this is where I first met Appa." Xing Ying turned back to him, her eyes wide and bright and she held her hands close to her chest in wonder. "All airbender children came to the Eastern Air Temple to pick their bisons when they were six years old. But I think me and Appa kinda chose each other."

At that Appa nudged Aang, licking him across the back of his head, the short fuzz of hair that had grown over the past three weeks of traveling sticking up. Aang laughed, petting his friend in return.

"I bet that must have been such a great moment for you both."

Appa grunted, before shaking the snow from his fur and heading further into the Temple.

"Sadly there's not much time to sight see," Aang said regretfully. "Come on, let's see what's left of the library."

Given how important the sky bison had been for the nuns living at the Temple all those years ago, much of the connected hallways and bridges were easy big enough for a full grown bison to walk through, and in the shelter of the stone walls Appa seemed quite content to lead the way towards the library. It was a place that Aang had only visited once in his life, though at the time he was far too excited about the prospect of meeting his sky bison to truly appreciate the wealth of knowledge that surrounded him. When he had come here six years ago his soul focus had been opening his chakras and it hadn't occurred to him to see just how much of that old library had survived the attack from the Fire Nation. He tried to remain positive, yet that old familiar sinking in his stomach led him to wonder exactly what they would do if nothing survived. Even if the Fire Nation hadn't destroyed it, could the books and scrolls have survived over one hundred years in a battered, broken down Temple? In time, they came across the beautifully curved bridge that joined this island to the next, and Xing Ying let out another gasp as she looked upon the third in the series of pagoda's gracing this area of the mountains.

"The library is up there," Aang pointed to one of the higher peaks of the island. "It doesn't look so bad from outside ... maybe we'll be lucky after all."

Together the trio climbed as high into the Temple as they could, before it back clear that Appa wouldn't be able to reach any higher. The bison let out a frustrated groan, and Aang place a hand on his nose.

"Sorry, buddy, you're going to have to wait here for us."

Appa snorted, fixing Aang with a disgruntled glare.

"Hey, it's not my fault you're so big! Why don't you take a look around, huh? I can call you when we're out."

Appa turned his gaze back to Xing Ying for a moment, before letting out a puff of air and turning back down the corridor, grumbling to himself as he went. Chuckling slightly Aang turned back to the staircase laid out before them and began to climb, his apprehension joining him in the ascent. Before long the spiral staircase opened up into one of the most breath taking rooms either of them had ever seen. In his childhood, the library had been so over bearing to him, and even in his young adulthood he couldn't help but be blown away by the shear size of the room, though his excitement quickly waned when he saw that the library had, indeed, suffered much at the hands of the Fire Nation.

There were pieces of parchment burnt and torn across library, stone shelves smashed, columns collapsed, glass littering much of the stone floor. Aang felt his heart plummet at the sight, so little of his own heritage and history remained ... there were some scrolls, squished into the shelving that had suffered only the smallest amount of burning, others where only half of the parchment remained, and Aang realised that there was every chance that the information he was searching for had been burned away long ago. His shoulders slumped, and he reached out with a hand to steady himself. It was all over ... his one last hope that gone up in flames a hundred years ago.

"Aang?"

Xing Ying put a hand on his shoulder, and he looked back at her.

"There's still some left," she said quietly. "We may as well look now we're here."

Deflated, he nodded, before walking forward into the great expanse of the library, his boots kicking aside dust and glass and fallen stone. He raised his hand, a torch of fire igniting in his palm, and the pair began to search the shelves.

"What exactly are we looking for?" Xing Ying asked, forcing a brightness to her voice.

"Anything you can find on the Spirit World," Aang replied, pulling some half burnt scrolls from one of the cubby holes. "Look for stuff on spirit portals, people and spirits traveling between the two worlds ... holes and tears." He paused. "And anything about a Face Stealer."

Xing Ying visibly shuddered beside him, yet continued to rummage through the information in front of them. Opening and skimming through what remained of the scrolls.

The pair searched for the best part of three hours, shoving anything vaguely promising under their arms and in their pockets. At one point Aang had been forced to climb the stone shelving, precariously supporting himself as he looked through one of the higher shelves for which the ladder had been burned years before. Eventually though, he had a small collection of scrolls and parchments that at least mentioned the Spirit World in passing, and the pair decided it would be best to take a break.

"There's still more over there," Aang pointed towards the last corner of the library they had to explore. "We'll come back for them once we've read through this lot."

"There's more than I thought," Xing Ying said, forcing a smile to her face. "We may be in luck yet."

Grimly Aang nodded, before heading back to the staircase and the open courtyard before it.

Appa was sat patiently waiting for them as they came out into the fresh air, his stomach grumbling comically. It was night now, though the blizzard had still to let out, even for a few minutes, and the chill of the air ran through them immediately. The pair shivered, and Aang hurried to his friend.

"Sorry for leaving you out in the cold so long, buddy," he said, petting Appa's head. The bison just grumbled once more. "I know where we can go that should be well sheltered, and where Appa can fit too."

Dutifully, heads bowed against the wind pressing against them, the bison and Acolyte followed Aang back along the series of corridors and bridges they had crossed that afternoon.

Before long Aang had led them to a large area on the ground floor of the temple that remained mostly closed off to the surrounding elements. In it's day, this had been where the nuns had met to eat their meals, sat upon slight cushions on the floor as they ate. To Aang's surprise most of the low tables remained intact, and he carefully dropped his pile of delicate scrolls onto one closest to them.

"Are you hungry?" Xing Ying asked, dropping her own collection beside his.

"Not particularly," Aang admitted. "Let Appa have my share tonight, I think he needs it more than I do."

Xing Ying flashed him a doubtful look, her eyes briefly flitting across his thin face and hollowed cheeks, before pulling on of the pack off of Appa's saddle. She rummaged through, giving Appa some liché nuts before setting up the pot to cook the rice. Dismissively Aang raised his hand, lighting the small collection of kindling that had remaining as Xing Ying put them under the pot, before he grabbed one of their blankets, folding it up underneath him and seating himself at the table.

It was tough going. Some of the scrolls were so ancient and unkempt that on several occasions the Avatar simply could not make out what was was written on them, but even on the passages that he could make out, the subject was so loosely linked to the Spirit World he wondered what vile hope had had him pick them up to begin with. The first scroll, in all it's great length, seemed only to mention the Spirit World in passing in it's first passage, speaking simply as if to acknowledge it's existence more than anything else. Yet, dutifully, Aang read through the entire scroll, head in his hands, whilst his fingers absently pulled at the soft fuzz of unwanted hair across his scalp. Half way through the first scroll Xing Ying had finished cooking her and Appa's rice, setting the bowl beside her and grabbing a scroll for herself. But Aang could tell from her expression that she wasn't having any more luck than he had.

The hours crept by, and Aang forced his way through three of the scrolls, each of them deceptively long, the ancient smudged hand writing making the process take even longer than it should have done. He had no doubt that, in better circumstances, he would have enjoyed reading through snippets of his Nations history, learning stuff about the Eastern Air Temple that he simply had no idea of before. But, at this moment, he was just frustrated. Frustrated and tired. The closest he had come to any real information had been a brief mention of one of the nuns crossing into the Spirit World during meditation. His heart beating hard, he pressed his nose even closer to the scroll, reading it's contents, yet with each sentence the subject flew farther of course, and Aang was disappointed that the passage hadn't even mentioned the name of the nun, yet alone what she had experienced in the Spirit World. With a irritated sigh he rolled up the scroll, tossing it into the pile with the other failed readings. Despite their shelter and the fire, it had begun to grow ever more cold in the room, and Aang looked up to see that, at some point, Xing Ying had fallen asleep, her face resting against one of the scrolls. In truth, he could hardly blame her. Seeing her shivers he gently rose to his feet, grabbing one of the heavier blankets and placing it across her shoulders. The Acolyte didn't even stir, far too tired to be roused by the weight on her body, and Aang, grabbing another scroll, made his way over to the entrance of the foyer, shrugging his own blanket closer about his chest.

It was difficult to find any sort of solitude in this storm. The wind outside was howling a terrifying song, and even the sound of the snow landing across the landscape before him was almost unbearable, but he needed some fresh air, some form of escape from the almost suffocating surrounds of the foyer. With a sigh, he slumped against the wall outside, much of it opening up to stomach churning drop of the mountain, but with a small crumbling column keeping some of the wind off of him and the scroll. With his hood down he could feel the breeze playing through his hair, and irritably he pulled it back up again. He hated having hair. Alongside his tattoo's his shaved head was a feature he had always worn proudly, it was one of the few links he had left to his culture and to his ancestors. So, as he found himself on the battered and sad remains of what was once such a strong and beautiful home to many of his people, the irritating dark locks tickling his skin left him feeling as though he had betrayed them all over again. In his haste he had left his razor back in the Fire Nation, and granted in the freezing weather his bald head had made things very difficult, his concentration as the painful biting of the wind hit his skin failing miserably. But even now, outside in the storm, he wished he could cut it all off.

To distract himself from his thoughts he opened the scroll onto his lap, sinking further down the wall, his chin buried in the piles of his coat, and began to read. He hadn't got far when he realised that this scroll, like all the others, wasn't going to reveal anything of use to him. The scroll began to speak of how one of the Air Nomad avatars before Aang, a man called Sansetsu, had come to visit the nuns at the Western Air Temple in order to gain knowledge from their wide library. This scroll had more of a feel to a diary to it, speaking of how Avatar Sansetsu, a man full of much joy and laughter, had told them tales of his time with the Southern Water Tribe. In spite of himself, Aang felt his curiosity peak, and he read with an interest that he had not yet felt for any of the previous scrolls and their subjects. Avatar Sansetsu had told them that the Southern Water Tribe had a very spiritual culture, as in touch with nature and the spirits as many of the Air Nomad's themselves. Aang mused at how different it seemed to be now. He had never heard of the Southern Water Tribe in any spiritual sense, even before he had been frozen in the iceberg, and he wondered whether Katara would find this interesting. He felt his heart skip at the thought of her, wonderful images of her flashing in his mind. Though it had only been three weeks, his absence from her felt more like three years, and his heart and soul practically ached from the distance between them. With another sigh, he shook his head, forcing his concentration back onto the scroll before him.

At that moment, a sound so chilling, so pained that he felt his hair immediately stand on end, echoed through the storm. His face shot up, eyes wide as he looked in the direction of the noise. The sound came yet again, not so much a scream as a cry of pure anguish and defeat, the sound enough to break any man's heart. He stood, haphazardly rolling the scroll in his hands as he eyes cast across the impossible darkness before him. As the cry came a third time he found Appa beside him, looking like he had never seen him before. The bison was shaking terribly, the whites of his eyes wide and visible in the darkness.

"Appa?" Aang said softly, pressing his hand gently against his friends side.

"What's going on?"

Aang looked back to see Xing Ying squeezing past the bison, looking confusedly between he and Aang.

"I don't know. Appa, buddy wha-"

The cry came one more time, this time sounding more frantic, the sound higher and closer to a scream than before. In response, Appa let out a loud bellow that, in itself, seemed filled with just as much pain and anguish as the former. Aang felt his heart jump to his throat, never before hearing his friend sound so despaired and so lost, and he hurried to Appa's front, his hands placed either side of the bison's great face. Appa tore his eyes from the open skies, and looked down at him, and Aang saw a pleading in those eyes that he couldn't ignore.

Though his staff still lay at the table in the foyer, he knew there was no time to grab it. Swiftly he jumped onto Appa's head, shoving the scroll into his robes, andgrabbing the reins. Xing Ying quickly climbed up beside him just as Appa gratefully took off, scarcely waiting for the girl to get a firm hold before shooting like a rocket into the flurry of snow.

"What's going on?" Xing Ying repeated, her hands held frantically round Aang's waist as the bison flew with a velocity that she could in no way have been prepared for.

"I don't know," Aang called back, gripping the reins tight. "But I have never seen Appa this upset, not even in the Cave of Two Lovers."

"The Cave of Two what now?" Xing Ying asked.

Before Aang had a chance to reply, Appa abruptly changed direction, letting out another loud bellow and he swooped closer to the base of the mountains. At their speed there was no way that Aang could light a torch to shine their way, yet somehow Appa seemed able to navigate through the ever tighter spaces between the rocks towards the very bottom of the mountains. Then, with a thundering crash, the bison landed, his six feet carrying him forward a few feet before coming to a dead halt. In that moment, Appa's haste and desperation came crashing down into complete fear, and he backed away, letting out what sounded like sobs, before stopping and shaking once more. Appa could see sense something in this darkness that Aang and Xing Ying simply could not, and after a seconds hesitation, the Avatar dropped from his friends head.

His heart hammering he walked forward, seeing a dark mass become just visible before him, it's outline gently shifting in the breeze, as though it was made of hair. In that moment, understanding hit Aang like a rock, his breath catching in his throat, a dread filling his soul, leaving him colder than the storm ever could. Appa whimpered behind him, and with a shaking hand Aang allowed a burst of flames to engulf his hand and light the nightmare before him.

Appa cried out once more, and Xing Ying gasped as the body of the sky bison became visible, it's wide back facing them, the pale fur parting in the wind. There was no movement from it, and as Aang walked forward he felt no warmth and no spirit. His hands shook violently as he closed in on the creature, a sickness settling in his stomach when he finally saw the lifeless face, and the dark patches of blood across the stone.

"Oh Appa." Xing Ying leaned forward, wrapping her hands around the top of his head, sobbing, but the bison didn't move, his eyes fixed upon sad sight. Aang looked back at him, his heart breaking, before gently reaching out and placing a hand upon the dead bison's forehead. It was cold, the body hard, the stab in the gut being that it probably hadn't been dead too long. Sadly, he reached down and lowered the lids of the creatures eyes, shielding them forever from the world outside. In silence he stood, the pain in his heart too great for anything else.

"Was ... was he, or she, who Appa heard?" Xing Ying asked at length. Doubtfully Aang looked across at her, shaking his head, and at that thought he found himself once more on alert.

"No," he looked around, holding his flame high. "No, this bison ... it was gone before that."

Xing Ying started to look around too, her eyes wide and somewhat panicked.

"Do you think we should get out of here?" She hissed. "Before whatever did that comes back?"

With one last pained look at the bison, Aang turned on his heal and hurried back to Appa, skillfully keeping his flame bright as he jumped into the saddle, taking the reins with one hand.

"Come on, Appa, yip yip."

But, the bison refused to move, his body still shaking yet feet remaining resolute and steady against the stone.

"I know buddy, I know," Aang said quietly, placing a hand upon his head. "I don't want to leave it, either, but we have to come back when the sun's up."

Still, Appa refused to move, letting out a low growl when Aang pulled against the reins.

"Appa-"

Suddenly that same cry came yet again, the sound much higher without the effect of the mountains warping the sound further up towards the temple, and much much closer, followed by a hissing snarling growl, the sound of a predator finding it's prey.

"Appa we have to go, now!" Aang yelled, pulling once more against the reins. But he wouldn't move, still he remained stead fast. There was the sound of frantic movement in front of them, that snarl loud and deafening, and at the noise Appa let out a loud roar, suddenly rearing onto his back legs so fast that Aang and Xing Ying were flung from the saddle, colliding painfully with the stone floor. Aang looked up quick enough to see his fiend drop down onto all six, head bowed low, horns forward, roaring as he charged off into the dark.

"Appa!"

Panicked Aang sprang to his feet, taking off after the bison into the darkness, so desperate to catch his friend that he even forgot to light his way. He heard Appa's roar once more, and then a sickening snarling scream, a loud thud, and pained howls from his friend.

"Appa! NO!"

In his panic he tripped, but his hands flew forward, a blast of air raising him into the air, pushing him faster onwards. With another scream from whatever monster Appa had charge at, and more growls from the bison, Aang suddenly came to his sense, skidding to a halt. He raised his hands and with a loud yell shot fire out on all sides, lighting the battle field before him. His flames caught and latched on the little plant life that survived down here, the flickering from the deadened tree roots keeping the area bright. Terror and anger filled him when he saw the bloodied scene before him, Appa with horns buried deep into the body of a beast almost as large as he was, it's fanged beak wrapped around Appa's neck. Large feathered wings beat frantically, their length large enough to almost strike Aang with each flail, and clawed paws scratched at Appa's side, trying to pull itself free of the curved horns. With a loud roar, Appa swung his head, the winged lion eagle mix scrabbling against his fur as it was thrown back across the stone mesa. Yet, despite the wounds in it side, the creature recovered quickly, lowering it's head, its front claws digging into the stone as it snarled and ready itself for another attack. Appa, blood dripping down his beautiful fur, lowered his own head, ready to fight the creature head on, and with another scream the creature charged for him.

Before he was even aware of what he was doing, knowing only that he had to protect his friend, Aang ran forward himself, leaping and landing heavily, beating his fists deep into the rock. The ground beneath the winged beast rose, sharp peaks quickly bursting up, scraping against i's paws and throwing it backwards. Appa continued to charge, head down, and raising the rock beneath him Aang sprung into the air, kicking a violent column of fire towards the creature. Howling it drew back, it's fur and feathers singed, but even as it turned to face them once more, and as Aang landed ready to push it back with his earth bending, Appa collided with the animal's front, horns narrowly missing piercing it's hide again. Whimpering in pain the creature was thrown back once more, it's claws scrabbling to find some friction in the rock. Then, with a pained scream at both of them, it turned tail, it's beaten body limping away as it slowly took to the air, disappearing from their view.

Breathing hard Aang ran back to Appa, filled with fear at what damage had been done to his old friend. Not far from them he heard Xing Ying's voice, frantically calling out for them, but he was far too absorbed in his worry for Appa to pay much attention. Panting the bison allowed Aang to check his wounds, wincing at the jagged edges of each puncture. But before Aang would do anything more, and just as Xing Ying broke into the area lit by the frantic fire around them, their blood ran cold when a small desperate cry rang out. Aang immediately fell into a defensive position, eyes staring intently in the direction the noise had come from, yet Appa seemed unconcerned. Painfully he turned, before letting out a soft purr and lowering his head. Doubtfully, Aang lowered his hands, Xing Ying rushing to his side and, slowly and frightfully, a dream came into view. A sight so wonderful and so rare that neither human could speak. Aang hands dropped to his sides, the world grinding to a halt, as Appa walked forwards, and gently pressed his nose against the small, wide eyed baby bison that had come out to meet them.

**A/N: Well, this came out a bit more action packed than I planned, and certainly messier than I had planned, but I hope you all like it regardless. I mean ... it's a baaabyyy!**

**Please review!**


	18. Chapter 18

The snow fell as heavily down upon the Fire Nation as it had for months, the persistent ice spreading across the grounds and across peoples homes, that dark gloomy sky showing not a single patch of bright blue hope. Morale was low, the lack of sunlight leaving many of the residents empty husks of their former selves, going about their business for the sake of survival rather than any real will to continue. The only positive in the past months had been the arrival of the large Northern Water Tribe ship, cutting neatly through the layer of ice upon the surface of the bay, bringing with it a bountiful and much needed load of supplies. Yet, one week on, the usual state of hopelessness had already settled back in.

Watching this misery, much like a cat would watch a mouse struggle on after it's legs had been broken, was a young woman, dressed in a sleeveless blue coat and completely indifferent to the cold. Master Innua leaned against one of the many balconys of the Fire Nation Palace, her sharp eyes watching the comings and going of the residence below as they forced themselves through layers of snow. A small smile played on her lips, and although watching these people struggle would have usually brought her cruel delight, there was no joy in that smile. It was bitter and it was tired, and as her fingers drummed the stone of the balcony it was clear to all who saw her that she irritated.

She had been here for a week now, her spies placed strategically about the Palace, listening in on conversations that she had hoped would lead her to her destination. Though the Avatar's friends had clearly been careful not to talk openly about his whereabouts, Innua had learnt early on that he and one of the Acolyte women had left for the Eastern Air Temple nearly four weeks back. Her initial response had been panic, panic that Twinkletoes had learnt of Koh's location, that he would get there before her, but a quick leap outside of the room of the Earthern Warrior girl, and a keen ear had revealed to her that he had not. Despite her relief that the Avatar hadn't already found Koh, she couldn't fight the bitter disappointment in her stomach, knowing that she was still no closer to finding the spirit herself. She needed to track him, to learn what he learned, but to beat him there in the chase, and it was seeming that her choice to come to the Fire Nation had, in fact, been a mistake.

For the remainder of that week Innua had mused over taking her ship and following Twinkletoes to the Eastern Air Temple, but something told her that he would be back here first, even if he did learn of the location of Koh. She could see the pathetic way that the Southern Water Tribe girl walked through the hallways, the way she'd look out in the snowy sky, obviously waiting for her knight with the shiny head to come back for her. Despite how pathetic she seemed, she was indeed very beautiful, and Innua knew that no man, Avatar or not, would leave a needy woman like her alone for very long. No, he'd be back, back to check that she was ok, that she hadn't cried too much, steal some alone time to do what needy lovers do. She felt she knew Twinkletoes enough now to know that that sap would put his desire for this woman before the fate of the world. She was glad that she had never loved anyone like that.

On this particular day, a day just like all the rest, Innua found herself to be the one staring up at the sky, waiting for the shape of that bison to materialize in front of her, and for the Avatar to rush out to his beloved and tell her he finally knew where Koh was. She had searched the Spirit World for so long, and so hard, and still she hadn't even found the slightest trace of the spirit. A growl left her throat, her hands scratching into the thin layer of ice that spread across the balcony. That vile spirit, the one who had stolen her father's face, who had upset the natural order of things and thrown her into the Avatar's path. She imagined, just as she did every day, what it would be like to finally see him again, to be reunited with her father just as he had promised. She imagined the power they would have, with him ruler of Spirits and her, Tonrar's daughter, ruler of Mortals. When she had seen him last, a tall dark figure possessed of a great beauty that she had never seen before, he had promised her the world, he had told her that he could teach her how to control her abilities, how to awaken those that she wasn't even aware she had yet. It had felt so magical, so wonderful to see her father, to finally understand her place in the world, and to know why it was she had felt so different throughout her entire life, and to finally admit to her greatest crime. The reason she had grown up an orphan. Her fingers curled into fists, the irate smile falling from her lips as she scowled out at the scenery before her. She needed to see him again, she needed to get her father back. Failure was not an option. She would die before she stopped hunting Koh.

A fresh howling gust of wind flew by, catching her hair and lifting it up until the sky, and with quite hum of determination she stepped away from the balcony. She knew Hanh had taken up his vigil near the Firelord, making use of the stealth that she had taught him over the past number of years, though she was certain there was nothing else that she could learn from the Firelord that would help her with her hunt for the Spirit. She had promised Hanh Zuko's blood, and should all go to plan she knew that he would have it. A familiar smile curled about her lips at the thought. She knew well the lustful beckoning of revenge, for it seduced her in her every moment. As she turned from the balcony, her intent to return to her ship, she heard a beautifully pained note flutter across the gale. She hesitated, looking back over her shoulder, her ears pricked for the strange noise, but after several moments of relative silence she looked away. Her first step was interrupted by that same note, only this time louder and longer. Curiously she went back to the balcony, her eyes narrowed, looking through the flurry. After a seconds searching, she saw a small dark mark in the sky, growing steadily larger as it appeared to fly closer. After another cry whispered through the howls, she realised that it was in fact a messenger hawk, flying with great difficultly through the storm. Her curiosity pitched, her heart skipping a beat when she considered the possibility that this note could be from the Avatar, and she raised her hand, letting out a long low whistle. In response, the bird cried once more, adjusting it's course and flying straight towards her. In its exhaustion the bird was willing to trust any of those familiar creatures that stood on two legs and provided easy meals, and was filled only with relief as it alighted on her hand.

"It looks like you've been a long way, small one," Innua said, gently stroking the birds head with her forefinger. Carefully, she pulled the note from the pouch on the birds leg, heading further into the Palace away from the biting, grabbing winds outside, discretely slipping into an empty room and leaning against the closed door. The bird puffed up it's feathers, shaking itself slightly as it settled into the much desired warmth and shelter of the Palace, and Innua negotiated it onto her shoulder. Taking a deep breath, she unrolled the note, her eyes widening as she read.

_Sokka,_

_I haven't much time, so I'm sorry that this note is so short. There is a vile spirit living in the South Pole, frightening and threatening our people. It is very important that you get this note to Aang as soon as you can. Tell him its name is Koh._

_I hope you are well, son, and that Suki and Katara are holding up._

_Your father._

Her heart beat wildly, and she reread the note several times to be sure she had not made a mistake. Koh was in the South Pole, and that meant her father was in the South Pole. And Twinkletoes didn't know. She scrunched up the note in her hand, and for the first time in many days, a true smile lit her features. A cruel, twisted red curl that revealed her oddly pointed teeth.

"I'm sorry, small one," she said, reaching up to stroke the bird once more, who leaned gratefully against her hand. "But it's important that your master never finds you. But, I think you should know, your last delivery was probably the most important of your life."

Unaware, the bird continued to lean against her as she raised her free hand, the sensation of the birds blood pumping through it's body washing over her, and as she closed her hand into a fist, the little birds heart beat hard and fast, exploding before it fell from her shoulder. With a certain sadness she picked up the creature from the floor, cradling it in her arms before exiting the room. She walked towards the balcony, many stories up, before suddenly throwing herself over the edge, falling at a sickening speed from such a great height before, somehow, landing lightly and unharmed on the snow below. At that place, Hawky was buried, and Innua started her triumphant search for her men.

~

"Stop fussing, Sokka! Honestly, I feel so much better now."

In Suki's room, a warm fire breathing against one wall, four friends gathered. It had been five days since Suki had started to show improvement on her new medication, and against all odds she now sat in her bed, a bright smile and healthy glow about her face, talking with ease to her visitors. Her husband still hovered close by, as if he was worried that, should he leave, she would fall ill again. He, and others, were finding it hard to believe just how quickly she had recovered, but there was one person who was not surprised at her improvement.

"Just don't do too much at once," Sokka scolded, flapping around her with concern all over his face.

"I won't, baby, but please you have to stop fussing!"

Sokka pouted reproachfully, freezing in his attempt to fluff up her pillows for the fifth time in the last half an hour. Katara, though still somewhat ill at ease, giggled at her brother.

"Look, why don't you keep yourself useful and go get me something to eat?" Suki asked. "I could eat a whole sky bison right now."

"Don't let Twinkletoes hear you say that," Toph said, grinning broadly.

"But ... you sure you'll be ok without me?"

"I'll be fine, Sokka, I have Katara here don't I?"

Sokka looked over at his sister, brow still furrowed with concern.

"Go and get some fresh air," Katara agreed. "You need it, and Suki is hungry."

After a moments hesitation, Sokka sighed, then leaned down and kissed his wife on the forehead.

"I'll be back soon," he whispered. "Just don't move too fast because you might sprai-"

"Go!" Suki laughed, reaching forward and pushing her husband away.

With a crooked smile the warrior stepped away from the bed, casting one last glance at his sister, who nodded back encouragingly. With a gentle snap, the door closed behind him, and the three women were left alone.

"In all seriousness," Katara said immediately. "You don't feel any pain of discomfort anywhere?"

Suki shook her head, rolling her eyes and crossing her hands on top of her large stomach.

"It's some luck that they brought just the right stuff you needed to cure Suki, huh?" Toph sat herself down upon some of the cushions lining the room, nonchalantly picked her teeth with her little finger.

"Yeh, it is," Katara agreed. She knew that Toph would have figured out that she was lying about who had given her the herbs, and at this point she wasn't sure whether Toph was just playing with her or trying to make a point. But Suki seemed indifferent to Toph's constant wondering over the luck involved in getting just the right herbs, instead focused on how she would now be able to bring her and Sokka's child into the world.

"I suppose it's about time we had some," Suki said, rubbing her tummy fondly. "There's been enough bad luck and misery lately."

Katara dropped in place besides Toph, welcoming the softness of the cushions after yet another long healing session. Though it had become much easier as the days went by as the medication started to have it's effect, the constant healing over the weeks had begun to take a slight tole on the Master healer. To make matters worse, part of her hadn't been able to shake the feeling that there was much more to Suki's sickness than she had originally thought. How Innua had known, and how she had known exactly what to give to Katara still plagued her, keeping her awake much of the night as she lay there, in a sweat, praying that there wasn't any poison hidden in the herbs. So far it seemed that the medication had been safe, yet still she wondered what the true incentive was.

"So, any news from Aang yet?"

Katara looked up, stirred from her thoughts, at the Kyoshi warrior looking down at her.

"No, nothing yet," Katara replied, trying to hide the sadness and worry from her voice. "But it's only been a month, he might not even have reached the Temple yet."

"Who knows, the weather could be better further east," Suki shrugged, a optimism to her voice. "And I doubt a storm is going to hold the Avatar up for very long."

"I hope not, " Katara murmured. Alongside her concern and paranoia for Suki and the Northern Water Tribe woman, Katara had spent the past four weeks filled with mixed feelings of dread, fear and excitement whenever she thought of the airbender. She often found herself thinking over their last kiss in the laundry room, how desperately her need for him had grown despite still finding it difficult to truly get over the betrayal she had felt when hearing Aang's words to her father, and how he had continued to push her and the others away. She was both anticipating and dreading his return, when she would have to face him and tell him exactly why she had forced the break between them. But, when she thought of that difficult conversation, she couldn't also help but think of the kiss that could precede it.

"Are you back together yet?" Suki pushed, a bright smirk upon her face.

"What? No! There's not time to be thinking about anything like that, we're not back together. I'm not even thinking about it!"

"Toph?"

Toph sighed, before giving Suki a meaningful nod of the head. Suki's grin spread even wider.

"Quit lying!" She shifted in the bed, gently pulling herself up a little higher. "Come on, I've been stuck in bed for weeks, tell me what happened."

"Nothing happened!" Katara protested, her face beginning to burn. Toph coughed, and Katara glared at her. "Do you have any idea how annoying and intrusive that is?" She demanded the earthbender. Toph just smirked.

"Tell us what happened," Suki demanded. "Did you guys talk before he left? Did you guys kiss?"

"What? No! We did-" Katara was interrupted by another cough from Toph. "Ok, alright, we did both those things." Suki let out a triumphant laugh. "But only a little!"

"So you guys are back together?"

"I ... I don't know," Katara confessed. "It all happened very fast and, I dunno, I probably shouldn't have."

"What do you mean?" Toph asked, raising a single brow.

Katara hesitated, biting her lower lip. "He ... he wasn't in the best place. It wasn't the best time to do it."

Suki and Toph were silent for a moment, fighting against both curiosity and unease, before Suki spoke.

"What do you mean he wasn't in the best place?"

Katara shook her head, putting her palms forward. "It's not my place to say, ok? He just had a bad night, and when we woke up in the morning and he said he was leaving I just couldn't stop myself." With a heavy sigh, she began picking at the seams of the cushion. "You know what it's like out there ... I was just so scared that he might not come back."

"He'll come back," Suki said confidently. "This is Aang we're talking about."

"Thing is, half the time he's not really Aang any more," Katara said quietly, thinking back to the empty dead look in his eyes when she found him bleeding in the bath tub. "It's like ... Tonrar took something."

"He's got a lot on his plate," Suki said kindly. "I'm sure once all this is over the Aang you love will be back. Stress does funny things to people, remember when he couldn't sleep before the invasion? He thought Mo Mo was talking to him!"

Katara smiled sadly at the memory, her gaze averted from Suki's. "I guess." _But it's not the same as that,_ she thought to herself. _This is something completely different ... this is darker._

"Look, Twinkletoes will be back soon," Toph said confidently. "It'll work out, it always has, hasn't it?"

"Thanks, Toph," Katara replied, flashing her a small smile even though she knew she couldn't see.

"Although, I have one question for you," Suki said, her smirk reemerging. "What do you mean when we woke up?"

Katara looked up, suddenly aghast, her face burning deep red. "No! Gosh, Suki, not like that!"

"Oh, come on, it's not like it would be the first time, right?"

"I'm not talking about this anymore," the waterbender replied, crossing her arms about her knees and burying her head in them to hide her blushing. Suki and Toph sniggered.

Before long, Sokka returned with what could only be described as a bucket of food, looking curiously between his wife, friend and sister when he noticed the latter's burning face and the formers wide smirk.

~

Despite the damage it had suffered during the earthquake, the Palace still stood a tall and imposing figure upon the snow caked landscape of the Fire Nation. There weren't many, however, who knew that beneath it's foundations there was a labyrinth of tunnels and passageways that, in themselves, were every bit as impressive as the structure above. Azula, sister to the Firelord and yet still missing in the wilderness that she escaped into, knew well of these tunnels, and had explored many of them in the time that she still lived here. The Firelord, however, was for the most part unaware of the sheer expanse of space beneath his feet and, unfortunately, what opportunities they offered to his enemies.

In one such tunnel, three people gathered, two of whom carried torches aloft, casting an orange glow to the cold stone walls. In their center, hands on hips, an excitement dancing in her eyes, a determined cruel smile upon her lips, stood the Nothern Water Tribe Master.

"One of our Southern brothers received a message today," Innua said, holding up the rolled up paper in her hand. "Or rather, he was meant to." She shrugged and passed the scroll to the man in front of her, who read it with a frown.

"The South Pole?" Hanh asked. "You mean, he wasn't in the Spirit World?"

"Looks like it," Innua replied, then she shook her head. "I should have realised sooner ... I just didn't think that Koh would actually leave the Spirit World."

"So what do we do now?" Asked one of the other men standing with them. He was a tall, lean man, curiously handsome with a broken nose, his eyes narrowed and brow furrowed as he looked across at his leader.

"We can't assume that the Avatar doesn't also possess this knowledge." Innua crossed her arms, eyes flitting between the two of them. "So we'll need to be prepared."

Hanh smashed one of his fists into the palm of his hand, grinning. "We can take him, he won't cause any problems."

The man with the broken nose scoffed. "Right, Hanh, you'll just take down the Avatar with your sword. Just like you did with Zhao."

"That was different!" Hanh cried in response, turning to his companion with a snarl.

"Don't be so ridiculous," Innua spat in disdain. "I've been waiting for this for far too long, I won't be taking any chances."

"Bring the girl," the third companion offered quietly. "Capture her, and use her as incentive. Even if the Avatar isn't there, she's important to her people, she'll make an excellent bargaining chip."

Innua raised a brow. Of course, Twinkletoes would do anything to protect his little Water Tribe girl, even send the entire world to it's destruction. And maybe, just maybe, at the end of all this she could slit her pretty little throat ... kill her, just as Tonrar had promised he would.

"Do it," Innua replied shortly. "Hanh, I want you to ready the ship, it's almost nightfall and we should be able to slip away without anyone noticing."

"What?" Hanh huffed. "But the Firelord still stands! You promised me that we would get revenge!"

"And we will. But only once I have my father."

Hanh's fist clenched, and he glared across at her. Her nostrils flared and she lowered her head, still fixing him with her own cerulean stare.

"You remember the plan, don't you?" She hissed, the General suddenly looking doubtful at the tone in her voice. "Once that spirit is slayed, once I have _my_ revenge, we will take the Tribe to War. My father has a power far greater than even the Avatar's, and the Firelord will pay for what he has done to our Nation. To our family."

Hanh sighed, his eyes dropping from her dominant gaze.

"Once this is over, you will lead our Nation to victory." Innua placed a hand on the General's shoulder.

"I want him dead," Hanh hissed. "And that Southern peasant too ... him and his wife."

"That's the spirit." Innua gave him a red lipped grin, her pointed teeth glinting dangerously in the firelight. "Now, go and tell the others, get the boat ready to leave." She then turned to the young man beside her, who stood with chin raised and a determination in his eyes. "Kanto and I are going hunting."

**A/N: Yeh ... yeh I just did.**


	19. Chapter 19

_Soft._

_Warm._

_It was dark, his eyes were closed. It wasn't cold any more._

_Red._

_A fire._

_He stirred, his ears picked up the gentle crackling of a fire. The warmth of the flames played against his skin._

_Sweet._

_A scent._

_He breathed in deeply, the gentle, perfect aroma filling the air around him. Was he alone?_

_Breath against his face._

_A sigh._

_He opened his eyes, his vision suddenly filled with deep blue eyes and a gentle smile._

_"Katara?"_

_"Shh." She leaned down, pressing her lips against his. His confusion soon passed, and he wrapped his arms around her body, delicate and warm in her light dress. She moaned, and he kissed her with more urgency, their tongues running against each other, teeth knocking. Her hands drifted to his chest and he realised in his daze that he was still wearing his heavy winter coat, the hood still pulled up over his head._

_"Wait ..." he pulled away from her, his hooded eyes looking into hers. "Katara where are we?"_

_Katara looked around, supporting herself on her arms as her neck stretched out to get a good look at where they had found themselves. Aang felt a soft desire spread across him, his fingers starting to tingle as he looked at her bare neck, each gentle dip coated in firelight._

_"Well, I'm in my room in the Palace," she said at last, looking back down at him. "But I don't know where you are."_

_Suddenly, he felt cold again. That sickening dull ache settling into his bones, a sharp pain in his exposed fingers, and he quickly crossed his hands under his armpits, looking around wildly._

_"Katara!"_

_"I'm here."_

_He looked round quickly, seeing her standing there on the white swirling expanse of snow upon which they'd found themselves. She was still dressed in her light dress, the material that of silk, caressing her body kindly. He hurried forward._

_"You'll freeze," he said, pulling off his coat despite the bitter weather, wrapping it around her shoulders._

_"Of course I will," Katara responded, a sad smile on her face as she looked up at him. "We all will. You know that."_

_Aang frowned, his mind numbing in the cold, his body beginning to shake._

_"What do you mean?"_

_"She's going to die."_

_Aang's eyes widened in confusion, raising a shaking hand to her cheek._

_"Who? Katara, who's going to die?"_

_"Her."_

_Katara pointed behind them, and Aang looked back, the white land that had stood behind him suddenly replaced by a dark stone plateau. A blood red mist seemed to swirl around them, and a choking hot air pressed thickly against his lungs. The jagged rocks stood like the teeth of a great beast, sharp and violent against the icy skyline. Laying across the stone, dark hair spread out across the floor, lay a body. Aang cried out, reaching to grab Katara's hand and finding nothing but air behind him. In a panic he ran forward, falling to his knees beside the body, horror sinking in as he rolled it onto its back. With a deep bloody wound in her chest, Katara's lifeless eyes stared up at the sky, his hands shook violently as he placed them eitherside of her face._

_"No ..." he whimpered. "No no NO! NO!"_

_"I did say I would kill her."_

_He swung round, the pain unbearable as his heart shattered into a million pieces, tears spilling down his cheeks._

_"I did say. Didn't I say?"_

_Tonrar stood motionless before him, his head cocked to the side as he regarded the grief stricken Avatar before him._

_"Didn't I say that, Twinkletoes?"_

_Aang snarled, rising to his feet, the earth beneath them starting to shake, the wind picking up, electricity in the air. Fire burst from his fists and he stepped towards Tonar._

_"I will KILL you!" He roared, teeth bared. He raised his fist, and Tonrar fell to the ground, mouth open wide, gasping as Aang pulled all the air from his lungs, his life force disappearing into the vacuum around them._

_"Aang! Stop! Please stop!"_

_Screams brought him back to attention, the wind dying down as he saw Katara crouched before him, her hands about her throat as she stared at him with wide eyes._

_"Katara! I-" Aang looked down at his hands, shaking his head as he stepped back from her, tears falling down his face. "No," he sobbed, falling to the ground._

_"If I don't kill her," came Tonrar's voice once more, his tall frame looming over Aang's as he lay broken on the ground, "you will."_

Aang woke with a gasp, sitting bolt upright and breathing heavily. He was back in the freezing familiar surroundings of the Eastern Air Temple's foyer, with Xing Ying laying asleep against Appa, the baby bison curled up under her arm. His heart hammered in his chest, and he closed his eyes, trying hard to forget the pain he had felt ... it had seemed to so real, he had believed she was gone. And now, even as he woke, she was no where to be seen. So far away from him ... _maybe that's best_. The thought came unbidden to him, Tonrar's words ringing in his ears.

"No," he whispered. He would never hurt her. He could never hurt her. Not again.

He opened his eyes once more, crouching forward and letting his head drop into his hands as they rest upon his knees. His nightmares had always been the same, each time just as terrifying. But this? This was so much worse. Every fiber of his being wanted to jump onto Appa and go back to her, to check that she was ok, to hold her and tell her that he was never going to let anything happen to her. But the vision of her lying so lifeless on the ground, in the very setting of his nightmares, frightened him beyond comprehension. He found himself shaking once more, clenching his fists and pulling his knees up closer to his chest. He needed to find Koh because she was right. If he didn't, they would all freeze.

He remained in this position for some time, unable to rid the sight of her lifeless form in his arms, the gaping wound on her chest._ This is just another warning_, he told himself. _It isn't real. She's fine. She's safe in the Fire Nation_. He looked across at the table near to him, upon which the pile of scrolls lay. He had read through all of them now, all of them bar one, which sat at the edge of the table expectantly. _The answer will be in there_, he thought to himself. _Don't worry, Katara, it'll be in there._

With a sigh and a glance across at his companions, he leaned forwards and grabbed the last scroll. They had been at the Temple for almost five days now, and whilst Aang had read, Xing Ying had tended to the precious little life that they had found deep in the depths of the mountains. The baby bison had scratches and cuts across it's back, and when helping the Acolyte with warming their water, he had noted that this little one had more stripes than Appa did. When bathing and washing it's mud caked underside, Xing Ying had discovered that the bison was also female, and Aang had felt a flash of hope at the thought that maybe they could at least bring the bison back from extinction. For now, though, the baby was young, and Appa sat close by her, grooming her fur and keeping a sharp watch on the skies that surrounded them.

The previous night, before the group had fallen asleep, Aang had read through the penultimate scroll, trying to shrug off the disappointment that came with realising that it, too, revealed nothing to him of Koh's location or how to fix the tear. The young bison, who Xing Ying had decided to name Yuva, had bounced excitedly around the foyer, jumping on Appa and trying to coax him to play. Appa's protective instinct seemed to have taken priority over his playfulness, and he had just groaned and watched her cautiously as she jumped off the tables, swishing her paddle-like tail this way and that. Xing Ying, giggling, had tried to catch her and calm her down, but in her excitement she brought down her tail, sending a blast of air across the foyer that blew much of the scrolls from the tables. Hurriedly Aang had grabbed the last unread scroll to stop it getting lost in the pile, yet had still found himself knocked backwards against the wall. Xing Ying had gasped, looking with concern between the bison and her teacher, and Yuva lowered her head at her new masters reaction. But all Aang could do was laugh, and Yuva bounded over with joy, planting her heavy feet on his chest and thoroughly soaking his face and hair with her licks of affection. At that point, he had decided to put the last scroll away, realising that he wasn't quite ready to deal with more disappointment if that, too, held no clues.

Now, though, the joy of the previous night had long been pushed aside, the pain of the nightmare still fresh in his mind and heart. He couldn't pray for answers any more ... he had to find them.

Dutifully he read through the scroll whilst the bison snored gently and Xing Ying stirred only lightly as they slept. He had to believe that he was going to find something in this scroll, that last scroll, yet with each paragraph that same gut wrenching sensation of disappointment crept in. Briefly his heart leaped as the scroll mentioned the passing of a monk into the spirit world upon the coming of his death, though as he read further, it stated that he had crossed over in the Solstice. Predictably, there was nothing else to tell him what had happened to the monk, other than that he hadn't returned, and glumly Aang pressed on. Slowly, as the sun began to climb up from the horizon, its rays just sneaking in through the snow, Aang reached the last passage. Bitterly he threw the scroll back onto the table, not bothering to roll it, and tried to fight back the yell of rage that wanted to escape his lungs. Clenching his fists he stood, grabbing his staff and, as quickly and quietly as he could, jumped from the edge of the foyer into the blizzard beyond.

He wasn't sure where he was planning to go, but he knew that he had to get away. That was it. His final chance, the only place he had hoped to find any information on Koh or the spirit world, and he had found nothing. The Fire Nation had probably burned away his answer a hundred years ago, just as they had his people. Aang shut his eyes, forcing back the growling anger in his stomach, before swerving and flying to the open plaza where he had once meditated with Guru Pathik.

"It's all over," he said to himself, dropping his staff to the ground. "I can't stop this."

As if on cue the vision of Katara lying lifeless on the ground flashed before him, tears rolling down her cheeks, blood coating his hands. The rage began the bubble and boil, the panic and fear gripping him, and he threw back his head and roared to the heavens. All his anguish, all his fear, and all his exhaustion poured into one cry, before it tapered off into sobs. He fell to his knees, pressing his hands against his face and weeping openly. It was over ... what more could he do?

"Aang?"

Silently he looked up, seeing Xing Ying standing at his side, her faced etched with concern. Behind her stood Appa, who had managed to land without the Avatar even feeling him, for so deep was his grief, and Yuva stood just behind Xing Ying's legs, her big brown eyes watching him with a mixture of sadness and curiosity.

"It isn't over," Xing Ying said softly, dropping to his side and placing a hand tentatively on his shoulder. "Just because the last scroll showed nothing doesn't mean it's over."

Dumbly Aang wondered how she could know that the last scroll had come up empty for them, but in his misery he just shook his head, looking away from her.

"Aang, it's not," the Acolyte persisted. "We found a baby _sky bison_. They're the original air benders! That has to count for something, right?"

Aang looked back at Yuva, those brown eyes not wavering in their intensity.

"It's been hard before right?" Xing Ying continued. "You must have felt like it wasn't possible before mastering three elements and the Avatar State in a year? Or before you faced Firelord Ozai?"

"This is different," Aang said quietly, still looking into Yuva's gentle eyes.

"Well then how about before you faced Tonrar? He could control you right, did you think you would ever be able to stop him from doing that?"

"Xing Ying ..."

"Or how about when you took away his ability to control spirits in the South Pole? When you released all those spirits and they made him disappear?"

"Xing Ying, I just said that's dif- wait. Wait, say that again." Aang turned his gaze quickly back to her.

"What? About when you took away his ability to control spirits? And then they-"

"Dragged him back to the Spirit World, " Aang finished, his voice hushed. He stood suddenly, walking a few steps away from them, his mind racing. Those Spirits ... when Tonrar had lost his control over them they had overpowered him and they had disappeared. He hadn't really considered it much until now but of course what else could have happened?

"How do you know that?" Xing Ying asked from the ground.

"I don't," he confessed. "But where else could they have gone? They must have somehow forced their way into the Spirit World ... because that's where Koh ... that's where Koh took Tonrar's face."

He turned wildly on the spot to face her, his eyes wide. "That's it! That's what caused the tear!" He walked over to her as she stood, placing his hands on her shoulders. "I don't understand how they did it, or if they knew what would happen afterwards, but what else makes sense? Xing Ying you genius!" In his excitement he kissed her on the forehead, before letting go and grabbing his staff. The Acolyte blushed deeply, rubbing her arm and turning her face from him.

"We need to grab our stuff," Aang said, carefully picking up the heavy baby bison and carrying her to Appa. "And then we're heading to the South Pole."

"Wait," Xing Ying cried, out of breath. "Shouldn't we go back and tell the others about this first?"

Aang paused, looking back at her as Yuva climbed onto Appa's back. He imagined Katara once more, standing alone in the snow, but as much as he wanted to be back with her, they had wasted enough time.

"No," he replied, jumping onto Appa and holding his hand out to her. "We don't have the time for that any more."

She hesitated, before taking his hand and allowing him to pull her up onto the saddle. As soon as she was up, Aang looked forward back towards the Temple, and gently tugged Appa's reins.

"Yip yip."

~

Thousands of miles in the opposite direction, a lone ship fought its way bravely through the swirling thundering ocean, waves so high that two benders had to remain at the helm to break through them, soaked through and freezing. The wind howled, the sleet sliced, and the lighting shrieked, and with each passing moment it seemed that the ship would be capsized or torn to pieces by the elements. Yet, courageously the ship endured, pushing through with it's pointed helm, biting back at the storm as it determined to reach its own destination.

Though the ship was large, much of it's space was taken up by large storage rooms that usually held supplies and weapons. Much of the crew had taken to sleeping in these rooms, allowing the few personal quarters to be used by their General, their captain, and their prisoner. The prisoner, having been knocked unconscious for several days, had woken recently, and her snarls of anger and attempts to escape had been heard by much of the crew. Today, though the prisoner sat on thin bed, arms shackled behind her back, staring furiously at the door of her glorified prison cell. She couldn't remember much of what had occurred before her capture. After tending to Suki, she had decided to take herself off to bed early, neglecting dinner that night. She had been exhausted, her mind full of worry and doubt, and even after collapsing into her bed, it had taken her a few hours to finally fall asleep. She had dreamed of something, something that had woken her with a start, her heart beating furiously, but the details were lost to her now. What had happened after she had woken was buried deep in her memories, and although she could recall something grabbing her body, all that truly remained of that night was the dull thud in her head from her concussion. But, there were some things that she knew for sure. Innua had kidnapped her. She was on a ship. And she was headed to the South Pole.

She'd received few visitors since she had woken. Innua had yet to show her face, though the familiar face of the man who had been tending to her confirmed her suspicions, having seen him in her company. He had been quiet, carefully washing the cut across her forehead despite her struggles, and when she had demanded to know where she was, he had told her that they were going to the South Pole. The man had tried to feed her at that point, but she had all but bitten his fingers in her attempt to keep the food away from her, not trusting anything that Innua would give her. Her stomach growled furiously at her, but she grit her teeth and ignored it. She wasn't about to give in.

As he had each evening, the man returned again, carefully knocking on her door yet opening it without waiting for a response. Katara rose her glare to him briefly before looking away in disgust.

"I'm not going to eat anything she gives me, so don't waste your time," she spat.

The man sighed, but he continued forward anyway, placing the tray of food beside her on the bed.

"You starving to death on this ship isn't going to be helping _anyone_, you know?" He said, his voice low.

"I know why Innua brought me on this trip," she continued. "And if she thinks she can use me in some sort of blackmail she's got another thing coming."

"Well if you want to stand up to Innua then you should probably keep your strength up, right?" The man raised an eyebrow, a slight smirk on his lips. "So perhaps you should eat something."

Katara threw a him a glare that would make anyone back down, but this man continued to look at her, unflinching and calm, holding up a spoon of food. As if on cue her stomach growled again, and despite her determination not to give in, and the embarrassment of having to be hand fed food from this man, she couldn't deny just how painfully hungry she was. With a doubtful look at him, she leaned forward and ate what was given to her.

"Can I at least feed myself?" She asked after swallowing the mouthful of rice and soup. "This is humiliating ..."

The man laughed, quickly rubbing the ridge of his broken nose with the side of his finger, a habit she had noticed him doing quite a lot.

"You're a master waterbender, and I'm just ok with a spear. I'd rather you were the one humiliated than I."

Katara scoffed, scowling, but gratefully ate the next spoonful offered to her.

"I'm Kanto, by the way," he said, smiling.

Katara raised an eyebrow. "Given that you knocked me out and kidnapped me, oh and that you plan to use me bribe my tribe for what ever purpose, I'd rather not sit through any of the small talk. If that's ok with you?"

Kanto laughed again, holding out the next spoon. "We're not as bad as you think, you know?"

Katara paused, sitting back up and pulled on her shackles as if in protest. "I find that hard to believe."

"She just wants her father back," Kanto continued. "I'm sure you'd do anything you could to get someone you love back, right?"

Brow furrowed, she leaned forward again. "What on earth does her father have to do with me?"

Kanto hesitated, and for a moment worry flashed across his features, and he rubbed the back of his dreadlocked head. "I can't really tell you much more than that," he said. "But be sure you'll understand soon enough."

"Right," she grumbled.

He dropped the spoon back in the bowl and picked up a flask with a wooden straw sticking up from the spout. It was Katara's turn to laugh.

"You know that won't stop me from bending the water, right?" She said smugly.

"Oh no, the straw is just to make things easier for you. The handcuffs," he nodded his head in her direction, "are to stop you from bending."

_You keep telling yourself that_, Katara thought to herself. All she needed was for the smallest amount of water, something she could bend into her hands and fashion into a pick, and she would be out of here. She took a drink, her dry mouth absorbing the water eagerly, and watched carefully as he put it back on the tray.

"We'll probably be at the South Pole in another week," Kanto said, standing up. "And if you want to kick Innua's butt then I suggest you don't turn down food again."

Katara watched as he took the tray and turned to leave, somewhat confused by him.

"Kanto."

He paused, looking back.

"What's your role in this? Why do you follow her?"

He looked at her for a moment, his expression blank, before taking a breath.

"Revenge," he said simply. Then, before she had a chance to respond he turned on his heel, leaving the room, the door shutting smartly behind him.

The following five days continued much the same, Katara playing ball each time that Kanto came round, waiting patiently for her moment. He was vigilant, and he watched her like a hawk, careful not to spill anything and to leave her alone with the food for even a second. Even when going to the bathroom he wouldn't leave her alone, dropping a bucket on the floor and standing cross armed by the door. She began to hate him more and more with each passing visit, that calm look on his face, that vile attempt at friendliness. She couldn't wait to break that nose of his a second time.

On the sixth day, aware of how little time she had left, Katara sat on the bed, her humiliation and anger reaching breaking point as Kanto passed her used bucket out to someone beyond the door. Her fists clenched in her shackles, no longer able to hide the hate from her gaze as she looked at him. Kanto sighed, a brief look of sympathy flashing across his features before he stepped closer to her.

"I get how you must be feeling," he said. "Look, how about I do something to help?"

Katara narrowed her eyes at him.

"What could I possibly want from you?" She hissed.

He seemed to hesitate, before pulling a comb from his pocket.

"Your hair is all matted from the blood when you hit your head."

"You mean when you hit me over the head?" Katara corrected.

Kanto laughed. "Well, that too. Look, how about I at least brush that out for you?"

Katara opened her mouth to tell him to back off, but then paused. There was a chance he had a key. If she could get him to come closer to her and she could somehow take him out ...

"Why not?" She grumbled at last. "It's not like I've anything else to be embarrassed about, right?"

Kanto smiled, and Katara did not like the genuine relief in the man's features as he did so. Eyes narrowed she watched him closely as he drew nearer, giving the comb a once over with her eyes before nodding her head and allowing him to sit beside her. After a moments hesitation, he reached out and took a lock of her matted and knotted hair, before gently running the comb through its tip.

"There's nothing personal in this, by the way," he said, whilst she sat hardened beside him, her fists still clenched. "As I said before, Innua just wants to find her father, and unfortunately she needed a back up in case the Avatar turns up."

In spite of herself, she felt her eyes widen. Kanto froze, obviously realising that he had just given away a piece of information that he had promised to keep to himself. She pushed further.

"You realise that by kidnapping me she's pretty much guaranteed that Aang will come."

Kanto brushed further up each lock, and she winced as he pulled at the knots.

"The Avatar is in the Eastern Air Temple, isn't he? He won't know about any of this until it's all over."

"He'd already been gone for over a month when you took me," she continued. "He's probably back in the Fire Nation by now."

"And, if he is, I'm sure the North Pole is where he'd be headed next. Why would anyone suspect we had gone South?"

Doubt passed through her mind at that point, and she swallowed. Kanto was right, there was no reason why Aang would go South when he found out she was missing ... no one would know where she truly was.

"He'll know," she bluffed. "The thing about being the Avatar is he tends to know things that other people don't."

"I suppose I'll believe that when I see it," Kanto murmured, now behind her. "But we all saw what the Avatar did to the Fire Nation's navy fleet with our own eyes all those years ago, Innua's not about to take any chances."

"You saw that?" She asked, her curiosity getting the better of her.

"Of course we did," Kanto laughed. "It was a bit difficult not to. And now he's a fully realised Avatar I'm sure he's capable of much worse now ..."

Katara frowned. "He saved your Tribe. What can you possibly have against him?"

"I have nothing against the Avatar." He paused and Katara grit her teeth as he broke he way through a particularly difficult knot. "But I do know he's a very powerful man, and only a fool would want to be on the wrong side of him without some sort of back up. That's you."

"But what does Innua's father have to do with any of this? Why on earth would Aang want to stop her from finding him?"

"Well, ain't that the question." Katara could hear the smirk in his voice. "As I said before, you'll understand soon enough."

"And until then I just have to keep my strength up," Katara muttered.

"Right."

It was her turn to smirk, and her fantastic blue eyes narrowed as she looked sideways at him. The comb was raised high on her head, in perfect line of his face.

"That was probably a big mistake," she said. She felt Kanto stop, but before he had time to react she swung her head back as hard as she could in his direction, hearing his scream as the bone comb made its painful collision with his forehead. He fell back, and she jumped to her feet, spinning round. She saw in slow motion as the blood trickled from his forehead, and a primal strength spread through her body to her finger tips. Spinning back round she spread her palms and bent the blood towards her, and it collected on the chain of her shackles. Kanto looked up through the blood on his face, surprised to have had the advantage taken away so soon, as his eyes widened as the blood on the shackles froze. Just as he stood, reaching forward to grab her, she pulled her hands apart with all her strength, the frozen chain shattering.

"Oh," Kanto said, stopping dead as she raised her hands, pulling more of the slipped blood towards her.

"Never underestimate a Southern girl," she hissed, before pushing him back with a blast to the chest, then freezing each of his wrists to the wall.

Armed with Kanto's blood, her face fierce, she turned to the door, smashing it down with the force of her water bending. Two guards yelled and swiftly turned to try and stop her, but they were knocked back with ease, and left unconscious on the ground. Ignoring Kanto's yells from the wall, she ran down the metal hallway, thundering up the flight of stairs and pulling the heavy metal door open.

She was surprised to find that it opened up straight onto the deck. She was even more surprised by the blast of air that threatened to knock her straight back down the stairs again. She forced her way out, the heavy wind picking up the skirt of her dress, whipping her hair about her face. The rain pressed against her and she gasped, trying to push herself forward and raising her arms to form a water shield around her. She was still dressed in the dress she had pulled on to sleep in back in the Fire Nation, and although the material was thick, she freezing thrashing storm soon had her chilled. The adrenaline pumping through her body kept the full force of the the cold at bay, but she was already acutely aware that if she was out in this weather for long there was no way she could survive.

"The prisoner has escaped! The prisoner has escaped!"

She started hearing Kanto's voice, looking back to see he had made his way to the door way. She snarled, turning and running across the deck, slipping on the water soaked metal floor as she hurried to the edge of the ship.

"She's on the top deck!"

Panicked, she looked over the side of the ship, gripping hard to the rail as it was rocked violently by the waves. Beneath her was only death, the sea too furious for even her to control. Soaked she looked back over her shoulder, knowing that there had to be some lifeboats somewhere.

"There she is!"

She swung round to see Kanto and a man she didn't recognise running towards her. She raised her hands, freezing the water in front of them and they slipped, finding themselves thrown into the center mast as the ship was yet again hit by a wave. She jumped over the frozen section of floor, running to the back of the ship. She had abandoned her water shield, and the rain pelted down on her, her dress soaked and her hair plastered across her forehead, yet still she ran, skidding to a halt and throwing her upper half over the back of the ship, looking down below her. There was no lifeboats, and with the engine thundering, a swirling miasma of ocean and certain death cascading out below her, she pulled herself away from the edge.

"There's no where for you to go."

The familiar and hated voice reached her ears through the howling wind, and she looked round. Innua stood a little way back from her, dressed in her sleeveless coat, the rain pounding down her on her though she seemed not to notice. There was no smile on her face, those red lips a cursed gash, and she glared coldly at her. Katara raised her arms, readying herself for battle, yet Innua did not move.

"I will not be used by you, Innua!" She yelled. "And I am getting off this ship!"

"No you won't," Innua replied. "Grab her."

General Hanh and Kanto stepped forwards, and either side of them stood four other men. Katara lowered her stance, ready to fight them off. But before she could act, Innua did. Her movements were so fast, so fluid that her eyes struggled to keep up with them, and as she tried to raise a shield before her, the water rose from the ground, wrapping itself around her body and freezing. She yelled, pushing out with her elbow to break the waters hold around her, but the six men were already around her, and they grabbed her arms and hair, forcing her to the ground. She yelped as her face made contact with the cold metal beneath her, her breath ragged and painful. She heard Innua's foot falls close to her head, and she leaned down in front of her, her face close to hers. It was in that moment that Katara saw exactly what Aang had seen all along, a terrifying evil in her eyes, something that chilled her from the inside out.

"Do not fuck with me," she hissed, revealing unnaturally pointed teeth. Katara forced herself to keep eye contact, but the pain in her body as it was pressed against the biting metal floor brought tears to her eyes.

"Lock her up," Innua said, standing and walking away. "She does not eat, drink, sleep or move until we get there."

She was pulled up, crying out as her arms were twisted behind her.

"Oh, and Kanto?"

Katara saw him step forward out of the corner of her eye.

"Be sure she doesn't escape again."

She was dragged unceremoniously back to her room, thrown back against the wall where she was shackled and chained once more, this time to the wall. Dismissively Innua bent all the water from her hair and clothes, leaving her nothing that she could use, and turned from the room without a second glance. Broken her head dropped to her chest and with a loud bang the door closed and she was left alone in the darkness.


End file.
